Welcome to Levity Floats!
by GeminiLady21
Summary: /reverse!falls AU/ In which Bill Cipher accidently discovers an alternate universe of Gravity Falls - Levity Floats. A strange world he finds himself to like - where the Pine Twins are psychopaths with supernatural powers, and Gideon and Pacifica are the heroes. Looks like Bill is going to have fun pulling the strings and his plans to fall into place... (PacificaxDipper)
1. What World is This?

**Full Summary: In which Bill Cipher slips into the alternate universe of Gravity Falls...Levity Floats. He quite likes this world. Where those pesky Pine twins, are actually pretty damn scary children with supernatural powers, and Grunkle Stan is nothing but a grieving man that reverted back to his own childhood, Bill finds himself at home at Levity Floats. The trouble he will cause and the strings he will pull...yes, yes, Bill can work with this Alternate Universe.**

 **Rated K+: Violence, Mild swearing**

 **Genre: Drama/Horror/Romance/Friendship**

 **Setting: Reverse!Falls AU**

 **Pairings: Reverse!Dipper/Pacifica**

* * *

 **~Chapter One~**

Bill Cipher, one of the many demons feared in the second plane, could not believe he was almost defeated by two twin humans, their bumbling man-child sidekick - and apparently a duo of multi-colored teenaged boys with the most hideous slang from a tween girl's fantasy. _Humiliating._ (however he had to admit the fighting cat hands were new from his enemies)

So the demon triangle decided to himself, why not take a vacation? Why not explore the depths of time and space as well as alternate universes and parallel worlds and whatnot - normal things to explore for a being of pure energy. Being in the second dimensional plane, things were quite simpler and easy to manipulate - and Bill had to say, it has been quite awhile since he attempted to dimension jump.

Floating above the forests of Gravity Falls, Bill tips his hat at particularly no one, and yells, "Sayanora! Hasta la vista! Ciao! Chow! Some other language that means goodbye!" He waves his hat merrily, as his energy vibrates wildly around him. "See ya later in five minutes you chumps!" With that, the energy from within him explodes, shooting him through dimensions. Really, he had no particular destination in mind - just wherever, whenever, whoever, so-ever (haha he just made up a word).

Bill vaguely remembers travelling to different versions of reality, and has to say, found those trips very entertaining. Best friends now enemies, the villains the good guys, gravity non-existent, the alternate worlds were quite interesting so to say. Not to mention, not plenty of them hardly seem aware of the existence of Bill (all the more easier to TAkE THeIr SoUlS - ahem, make partnerships with em'...), which is something else he enjoyed all the more.

So he was surprised when he felt his very being, pulled through dimensions through a very particular destination. Multi-colors flash before Bill's one eye, the five senses non-existent, flashes and bits of alternate worlds gliding past Bill, as he is pulled towards his destination at what seems hyper speed. (WHHHHhhhhhhEEEEEeee!)

"Woah-ho-ho!" Bill whoops out, feeling his small triangle body plummeted through a thick, syrupy force field - a force field if any human ever tries to pass through will instantly have their body meshed into pulp (all the blood and organs and explosions woohoo Bill loves seeing that stuff). Luckily for humans and sadly for Bill, they were not capable of dimension leaping in the methods he is utilising to travel.

Once breaking through the forcefield, Bill opens his one eye. He glances down, seeing the familiar Bill Cipher ritual sign, etched on the ground with...blue chalk? The ritual summoning sign is crudely drawn by what seems to be a child's handiwork. In the place of candles, instead were _Christmas lights._ "Geez, what is this, the kiddie edition of ritual summoning?" Bill cracks up, slapping his stick thin knee, laughing like crazy.

"Aah…"

Bill looks over to the one who summoned him - and would you _believe_ it - it was a kid! A kid who looked no older than six or seven years old. (then again, that annoying Gleeful kid looked no older than a _three_ year old that had the mindset of a bratty ten year old…). "Sooo...what brings a kid your age summoning me? Not like I'm complaining, but you seem waaay too young for someone who is searching for revenge and/or power."

His summoner says nothing, still awestruck at the demon's appearance. He breathes heavily.

Bill rolls his eyes. The young ones _always_ take the longest time to get over themselves. (sure, they just summoned a demonic being that wrecks havoc through dimensions, so what?) Through the darkness, Bill scans his summoner. The little boy looks already lanky and skinny for his age. He has a round face plastered with wavy, tousled brunette hair. Dark, serious brown eyes stare up at Bill, looking hollow and gaunt in the dim lighting of the Christmas lights.

(hey hey hey something about this kid is annoyingly familiar)

"Y-you're not w-what I…"

"What ya expected? Yeah I'm a demon shaped like a triangle," Bill turns upside down, floating about as he says this. "So what? Why must you pesky mortals judge by size so easily? How offending!"

The boy swallows, his eyes glazed over. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean -"

"Ya didn't mean it? Yeah, yeah, sure I forgive you and stuff." Bill shoves his face up to the summoner, to get a better look of the annoyingly recognizable boy.

He jumps, stumbling backwards to the ground. His mess of hair falls out of his forehead - revealing to Bill the well known Big Dipper constellation birthmark. Bill slaps his head in disbelief. "Ohhh, boy! Oh boy, oh boy, oh BOY! This is just toooo much!" He does a loop de loop in mid air, pointing straight at Pine Tree. "Alternate Pine Tree! Good to meet ya, good to meet ya!" He giddily shakes the little boy's hand, whose expression is nothing short but confused.

"What…?"

"Nothing kid, nothing." Bill waves it off, grinning with his non-existent mouth. However, his one single eye reads otherwise, tugged at each side into the appearance of a smile.

Nervously, the boy shifts from his foot to the other. "My name is D-Dipper," He whispers, clutching at a baseball cap in his hands. (wowzers this kid looks like he's gonna piss in his pants! ahaha not much different from his Gravity Falls counterpart!) "And…" Little Dipper, as Bill officially decided to call him, looks shakingly up to him, with wide, re-approachful eyes. "You're a demon...r-right?"

"Well, I am a floating triangle that is levitating in air, so…"

Little Dipper carries on, clearly unnerved by Bill's zany behavior. "...Y-you can bring t-t-the dead back to life, right?"

Bill throws his top hat into the air, teleporting it back on top of his pointy head. He snaps his fingers, pointing straight at Little Dipper's nose. "And the answer is N-O, what does that spell? NO!"

The little boy's face crumples. "W-what? But you're a demon…"

"Yeah I'm a demon, the sky's blue, humans are stupid, what else is obviously obvious? Look kid, not to blow my own horn, but I can do pretty amazing things like alternating reality as you know it, travelling through dimensions, invading your dreams and haunting you every second in your sleep, and of course being the fabulous _me_ \- but the things I _can't_ do vary. And one of them is bringing the dead back to life."

"Can't you do _something?_ "

"Well, I was lying, I can bring them back - unless you want your dead loved ones to come back as Walking Dead zombies, I dunno if that's the type of resurrection you're thinking of." Bill carefully watches Little Dipper's face, as it melts into heartbreak and despair. (big deal kid somebody died i destroy dimensions and wreck havoc through the universe, other people get it tough). Boredly entertaining his summoner's emotions, Bill says, "So who kicked the can?"

Little Dipper sniffles, rubbing the edges of his eyes. "My parents. _Our_ parents…"

"Eh, well, heeyyy, at least they were taken instead of what you humans call, 'growing old,' and what I like to dub, 'dying an incredibly slow agonizing death as all of your bodily functions shut down one by one into oblivion.'" Bill cackles at this joke, however Little Dipper glares at him, clearly unamused. "Lighten up, will you Mini-Pine Tree? Gosh, you're still that buzz kill I came to know and hate." Once again, another confused look from the boy, in which Bill ignores. "Now that we got _that_ over with, is there anything particularly, I dunno, _useful_ that you ask of me?"

The boy stares at his feet, silent.

"How's a kid your age was able to summon me?" Bill side-glances the poorly imitated ritual summoning materials. "Let alone, how can something like _this_ call me?"

"I know magic. My sister and I." He breathes out, brushing his thick bangs out of his dark eyes. Bill raises a singular eyebrow. (interesting interesting the pine twins know magic? wowzers, what an interesting alternate world that i accidently found. InTEresTInG.) "We've been at the orphanage for a couple of months…" Bill supressed the urge to yawn. God, this is the other thing he hates about people summoning him. They talk on, and _on_ about their godforsaken backstory of how they want power/money/love/revenge and so on and so forth and blahblahblahBLAH.

The little boy's posture stiffens up, his little hands balling up into fists. "We hate it! We hate it here! And they hate us! Nobody wants to adopt us…" Little Dipper's voice cracks. "I don't know how I can protect both of us. Mabel's so much stronger than me, but she doesn't know how to use her powers, and I can't learn with her, and I feel so left behind." The boy looks straight into Bill's one eye. "I...I want to be strong. I want to be strong enough to protect us. To protect my sister." Little Dipper's eyes are wide with naivety - but a flicker of determination accenting it.

Bill catches that flicker. He always catches that in the humans foolish enough to summon him. (the darkness within them so manipulative) Easily, Bill can see something brewing here. Alternate Dipper is a mere child in this alternate dimension. A mere child who has lost his family. A mere child who wants to protect what he has left...so he says. There is some truth to that statement - but oh ho ho, Bill can see much more _depth_ to Little Dipper's claim.

(oh pine tree dont you know green eyed monsters are the most scorned) Bill sneers, easily pouring and flicking through the memories of a vulnerable child.

"Hmm...so all in all, you want more power? Is that what you're saying?"

Little Dipper looks down to his feet, wringing his baseball cap. "Yes."

"Wow. What an _original_ motive. No matter. You've got me sold kid." Bill snaps his fingers, a paper contract materializing in thin air, vibrating with golden energy. It floats to Little Dipper's level, with a feather pen attached (courtesies from the almighty bill cipher). "Just sign on the dotted lines, and the deal is done. Some parts of the contract you may or may not understand, but that's not what matters."

The boy squints at the small print words, biting his bottom lip. He hesitates from a few seconds. (oh they give in. they always give in.) His small hand seizes the pen, and he messily signs his name. Bill laughs, clapping his hands. The contract disappears into mid-air.

"The deal is sealed!"

His hand covered in blue flames, Bill grabs Dipper's small right hand. Once his hand connects with his, the little boy is covered in blue flames. He gives a scream, writhing under the painful grip of Bill's fiery handshake. (haha he always LOVES this part). Bill holds on for a couple of more seconds, transferring some energy into the human boy's body - not a lot to take from Bill's energy essence, but tons for a human boy this young.

Relieved, Little Dipper falls to his knees, looking nothing but weary.

Bill tips his hat, happy to make a new deal. (another poor sap to deal with another soul to take) "Pleasure having business with you, Pine Tree." The triangle demon winks. (oh give this kid some more years - he's gonna grow up into one hell of an ambitious young man. an ambitious young man indeedy-deed) Little Dipper doesn't answer, only staring at his right hand that shook hands with Bill. A triangle is etched into his bare palm. Bill chuckles. "Oops left a mark."

Little Dipper glances up, eyes narrowed. It casts away all of the baby fat from the little boy's face, making him look more gaunt and sharp. Bill is pleased to see a glimpse of the monster he made. "You're _annoying_ you know that?"

"I've been told!" Bill sings. "I'm going to turn up later in your life, Pine Tree. Don't forget this old triangle, will ya?!" With that, he soars into the open night sky, commanding a portal to the original verse of reality.

But Bill has to say, he was very pleased with what he has discovered.

* * *

 **A/N: Wow, I am REALLY excited to begin this new Fanfic project…I really LOVE the idea of Reverse!Falls. The idea of an evil Pine twins is kinda intriguing to me. (have you seen the fanart?! They make the Pine Twins looks hot when they're evil…ouch, I stooped to a new low there.) Reviews are much appreciated! They keep me going! :D**


	2. Welcome to Levity Floats!

**~Chapter Two~**

Pacifica Smoke never found the smalltown of Levity Floats something she would deem 'interesting' and certainly not worthy of being called _exciting_.

Compared to seeing the Grand Canyon, wandering around in the jungles of the Amazon with her father, and witnessing a meteor shower in Alaska, Levity Falls was _anything but_ exciting.

Sure, it had an admirable reputation for being a site of the supernatural. Over the years, it attracted a good number of tourists, given that Levity Floats is located in the state of Oregon nestled close to the thick forests. They _especially_ came in abundant hoards during the summer, putting her father's business into a huge spin of success. And with Levity Floats so close to the forest's full of rumors of mysterious disappearances and the famous haunted lighthouse of the state of Oregon, it was people who spun the stories of the paranormal. It surprised Pacifica of how word seems to travel so fast through the whole country.

Slowly through her almost two years of living in Levity Floats, she watched hopeful ghost hunters to wandering journalists searching for a small story comb through her hometown and leaving with the stories that they were searching for, the town managed to gained some form of reputation over its decades for being a haunted, wistful place. Pacifica, having lived in Levity Floats for pretty much all of her life, would call this place anything but.

The Legend of the Abandoned Arcade where it was said some children were murdered in? Debunked by Pacifica. There was nothing in the arcade but the remnants of childhood and dusty machines.

Those haunting 'mermaid calls' at the beach? Debunked by Pacifica. Nothing but howling winds coming from nearby coves hiding behind the docks.

And of course, don't forget the cliche abandoned 'haunted' house. Debunked by Pacifica. All she found was a nestful of possums that made their happy home in the walls of the house.

Usually, any parent in Levity Floats would disapprove of their children exploring such 'evil' and 'haunted' places. Any parent _but_ her father. She wouldn't quite call him the definition of someone responsible. Afterall, he was the very parent that bravely took his child travelling all of the world into places any grown-up would disapprove of taking a mere child. But, Pacifica would defend, that this was the greatest gift her father gave her.

Deep in her heart, Pacifica recalls from her faint childhood memories of the adventures she has all over the world, all exciting compared to the dreary and boring setting of Levity Falls. She still had the heart of a traveller and adventurer, and being chained down to one place was certainly not her style. However, she would have to make due with what she has.

And she happened to like Levity Floats the most when summer came.

 _RiiingggGGGGg!_

"Woo-hoo!" Pacifica hollers at the top of her lungs, with the chorus of hundreds of other joyous middle schoolers, celebratory that the days of school finally ended. Hauling her jean-bag (custom made by Pacifica herself, sewed from the very pants of her father's closest friend, Soos, thankfully never used but incredibly baggy), she sprints outside with masses of other students. She gives out another holler, once meeting the summer heat of outside. Grinning at the clear open sky, Pacifica maps out the endless summer days ahead of her - unlike most schools all over America, Levity Floats local school dismisses their students for summer vacation on the first day of June.

Sure, sure, _technically_ summer began on June 21st, as considered all over America, but June was the marking month where the temperatures slide to the eighty degrees. And strangely, it is an unsaid custom all over Levity Floats to hold the upmost respect for the season of summer - something that Pacifica is yet to debunk.

Her mind races with the adventures in store for the next two summer months ahead of her. Maybe convince Soos to build a treehouse? Try to search for the abandoned mines deep in the forests? Attempt to take a picture of the elusive lagoon monster? For a moment, a bare moment, Pacifica falters in sadness when remembering that she didn't have anyone to do these exciting activities with. Her eyes flicker over to kids her age running past her, straight to the arcade or the beach.

Longing.

She bristles, slinging her bag higher on her shoulder, speeding up her pace. It was a small sacrifice Pacifica has to pay - it seems that all of the kids her age nowadays are more interested in staying cooped in their homes staring aimlessly at the TV rather than enjoying the outside. She swore that she would never attempt to stay inside in the summers. Pacifica can simply not be tied down. And the other kids sense that. Another thing she disliked about Levity Floats, was that the people _hated_ different.

Pacifica snorts to herself, with a toss of her long platinum blonde hair. Remembering this just brings plain incredulity to her mind. How could the people possibly hate different when they are surrounded by lies of supernatural and mystery? That itself is a mystery Pacifica cannot fathom -

 _HONK!_

Instantly, the blonde is snapped out of her thoughts, when the honking of a car horn pulls her back into reality. Her pupils dilate, seeing a black mass looking of death hurdling towards her. Yelping, she jumps to the side just in the nick of time. Road dust clings to the air, mixed with the ugly smell of car fumes. Eyes burning and throat practically choked up, Pacifica hacks, wiping her tearing eyes.

"Ugh! What is the _hold up?!_ " She hears a pitched feminine voice pierce through the dusty air.

"S-so sorry, m-madam -"

"You have one job, Harold. One stupid little job to drive us to our mansion, and _this_ is how you do it?!"

"Settle down, Mabel." A drawling, bored sounding voice states.

Once the dust clears, Pacifica stumbles to her feet, coughing dryly. Other people are staring at the car with the newcomers as well, whispering to each other, rumors already thickening the atmosphere. The girl sighs to herself, regretting to cause some trouble, and walks to the car. She sees a girl, probably around her age - however she doesn't certainly look of it. Her pale, flushed face is full of makeup complimenting look admittedly pretty, already making the girl look like a teenger. She is dressed snappishly in a black blazer and flared out hot pink dress, something that Pacifica admired as an outfit.

Resting on the girl's hip-length brunette hair, is a simple black headband - the only design a lapis lazuli colored jewel of some sort. It seems to glow fiercly in the sunlight - and for a moment, Pacifica swore, the jewel radiated some sort of - dunno, blue aura. _Magic._ The word breathes heavily into Pacifica's mind, as she stares at the gem, entranced.

"Please, please miss, I'm sorry…" says the bumbling voice of the cowed chauffeur.

"Sorry is not enough!" The girl, (Mabel, was it?) screeches angrily.

Pacifica, alarmed for the poor looking man, steps into the wrath of the brunette haired girl. "Uhm...I'm sorry, really, I am," She says to Mabel, with a small and embarrassed smile. "I wasn't paying attention where I was going, and I walked in front of your car. Silly me, am I right? Anyway, it's really my fault, so don't be mad at the driver."

The other girl draws her head back, sizing up Pacifica. Her eyes - her blue, blue strange eyes, snap to Pacifica. This sends immediate shivers down her back instantly. Her pretty face, scrunches up into the most cruel sneer. "How about..." The girl points straight at Pacifica, with a clenched expression. However, whispers arise from the ongoing crowd, as they stare at Mabel, the newcomer. The hardened sneer on the girl's face, melts into realization, then into a sickly sweet smile all in a few seconds.

Pacifica stares wide-eyed at Mabel's perfectly manicured fingers, as it slowly pats her shoulder. Once again, she shudders, staring straight at Mabel's electric blue accented eyes. She would look away, but she had the most dreadful feeling that is she so much takes her eyes off of this brunette, something _bad_ will happen... "You _really_ need to watch where you're going!" A high pitched, concerned sounding tone says from Mabel. A new mask is plastered on her face, something in the picture of concern. _Fake concern._ Pacifica reminds herself, standing stiffly. "Isn't that right? You know us kids these days! So crazy to get out of those caged places we call school! Am I right folks?" Mabel asks the gathering crowds sweetly.

All the while she was talking, Pacifica eyes are attracted to the luminous glowing of the jewel resting on Mabel's headband. This goes unnoticed by the crowd, as they laugh at Mabel's cute little comment. This couldn't help but send unease down Pacifica's spine, hearing the - oh she doesn't know, _robotic_ laughter from the surrounding people. Movement comes from behind Mabel, another figure emerging.

It's a boy, looking of Pacifica's age. He looked almost identical to Mabel, like the boy version of her. Striking, somewhat alluring, looking too old for someone around thirteen or fourteen years old...and admittedly, bringing redness to Pacifica's cheeks, _good looking_. Pacifica's racing thoughts screech to a stop when this last thought pops up in her mind. As if he heard her thoughts, the boy gives her a side glance. Waves of tousled, brunette hair fall gracefully across his forehead. The boy is practically the same height of Pacifica, but his straight posture, stoic expression, and demeaning aura made him seem all the more taller.

The only thing stopping Pacifica falling to the stranger's good looking charms, was the same creepy, creepy glowing blue eyes that matched Mabel.

He scans Pacifica for another few seconds, eyes narrowing. His face darkens noticeably, expression violent and scornful directed at Pacifica for some reason. She flinches. _What did I do?_ Her thoughts fly wildly. _Did I do something to upset him?!_ However, just exactly like Mabel, the boy's face smoothly transitions into a cool but charismatic smile. Coos and aahs from other girls probably from Pacifica's school, admire the boy's smile. He gives a slight bow to Pacifica, looking nothing short but respectful. This should've sent Pacifica into a fit of nervous giggling and talking of nonsense, but for the first time in her life, she found herself speechless.

She couldn't erase those violent expressions that those two alluring strangers made at her...expressions that only _she_ saw.

"Pacifica Smoke, am I correct?" The boy suddenly asks her, his voice a bit older sounding for someone his age. It is smooth, even, and composed, sounding the definition of maturity.

"Uhm, yes. Woah, how'd you know?" The hairs on her neck raise, as she slowly edges away.

He cocks his head, more wavy brown hair falling across his forehead. "The Mystery Shack has quite a reowned reputation of displaying wonders in Levity Floats. Isn't that right, folks?" He asks the crowd. Pacifica's eyes instinctively snap to the glowing - the glowing hanging around the boy's neck. It comes from a brooch, smooth and blue. The boy has the same effect on the crowd like so Mabel did - agreement, submissiveness, and admiration.

 _Something real weird is going on here...I don't like it!_

In synch, both brunettes turn to Pacifica, their unnatural eyes boring through her. Pacifica gives a nervous, quiverring smile. The onlooking crowd not able to contain their curiosity any longer, start shouting questions at the two strangers.

"Please, please, settle down folks," The boy says to the crowd, as Pacifica slowly but surely edges away from the scene.

"You may have never heard of us, but we are the Mystery Twins. Proud children of the Northwests." She last heard from the boy, over the oohing and aahing from the residents of Levity Floats.

* * *

Gideon Smoke couldn't help but feel relieved in spite of his guilt.

He gets to spend a whole summer in Levity Floats - a town known for its haunting reputation for a whole summer. His mother, feeling guilty that she sent his two little sisters to theatre camp in New York, his little brother to a sleepaway camp in California, and slightly younger brother to spend the summer with their fossil-obsessed aunt, Gideon had the open choice of choosing wherever he can spend the summer instead of staying at empty and spacious suburban house of Pennsylvania.

"Are you going to be alright home alone, ma?" Gideon worriedly asks, curling his strange blonde almost white hair.

His mom grins broadly at him, taking a moment to pat his fluffy hair. "I reckon so, Snow Boy."

He frowns, clearly not convinced. "You're going to remember to feed the cat, right?"

"I'll change his bowls e'ry night."

"You promise me you won't live off of microwavable food…"

"I sure as hell will miss your homecooking, but I'll try to memorize the cookbook from front to back."

"And don't forget to write to me!"

"Yes, yes Snow-Boy, 'ave a lil' faith," His mother chuckles, shaking her head. "Sometimes, I reckon boy, _you're_ the mother and I'm the child."

Gideon flushes red at his cheeks, nervously managing a smile. "T-that's just my job, y'know?"

"I'll be fine, Gideon. But work sure is being a pain in the arse." She groans, steering left. In the distance, nestled to the roadside, Gideon sees the faint outline of the Mystery Shack. For the first time, Gideon's anticipating jittery expression is wiped off his face when he sees sight of the Shack. The pudgy little boy crawls up to the window.

"Ma, I'm so excited!"

"You have the right to be. Afterall, being in the ol' suburban life of Pennsylvania and being in charge of the house, my little boy needs a break." His mother smiles lovingly at him. He smiles back, this smile growing even wider as the car stops in front of the Mystery Shack. _Good golly! A whole two months and three and a half weeks at this place!_ Gideon thought to himself, fumbling to unbuckle his seatbelt.

Glancing over to the tall sign of, **Welcome to Levity Floats!** , he smiles with an edge of determination. _Don't let me down for what you're known for, now!_ Gideon thought, grabbing his duffel bag, and hopping out of the car, meeting the blast of brutal summer heat.

* * *

 **A/N: So the Reverse Twins appear in this chapter! What havoc do they bring with them…? Am I taking the chapters too slowly? If so, I apologize. I want to take the time to establish the reversed personalities and the new world of Levity Floats. Should I make my chapters longer? I would really love to hear your opinions, readers! Critsicm and suggestions are highly welcomed! Reviews are much appreciated! And I will see you next chapter!**


	3. Traps and Tests - What's the Difference?

**~Chapter Three~**

Mabel 'Madelina' Pines Northwest, would much rather be anywhere else rather than the shoddy place of Levity Floats.

Putting on her best pout, she steals a look at her twin brother, who is sitting across from her in their private car. Squinting her eyes, Mabel concentrates her whole being of her very conscious, into her brother's mind by imagining a rainbow of different shades of blue shooting at his head. Once feeling that familiar buzzing sensation in her ears and numbness all over her body, Mabel makes her first statement.

 _/This town is simply_ dreadful _don't you think Dipper?/_

On the outside, Dipper makes no indication of shifting his position nor making any sort of facial reaction to Mabel's telepathic message. For some reason, all of the sudden, the itch of annoyance tickles the back of her mind. Must he always be so...emotionless?

 _/Why did you have to make such a scene out there?/_ His cold, empty voice fills the depths of Mabel's mind. She winces hearing this absolute iciness in his voice, clenching the folds of her hot pink skirt. Giving her best glare at her brother, she sticks her tongue out, absolutely cross.

 _/Oh please. You know how mother and father are so...iffy, with their time schedule, hmm? Besides, that blonde girl with that ridiculous bag of hers has the blood of a Smoke, doesn't she?/_

His expression shifts for the briefest of second, into a barest hint of a smirk. _/That's something that came good out of that setback. Though, for the admirable reputation the Smoke family has set up for generations, she doesn't look much of a challenge…I highly doubt she knows any forms of magic at all./_ Mabel, hearing this from her brother, tries to smirk along with him. However, Dipper is hardly looking at her, his solid blue eyes staring out of the window in his usual bored looking pose. Irritated, Mabel severs the telepathic connection, knowing perfectly well that it will give her brother discomfort.

With a loud pop in her ears, the buzzing stops and the numbness disappears. Dipper's head snaps to Mabel, given that he clearly felt the pain of the severed connection. Mabel cocks her head, giving him an innocent giggle. _Finally._ Attention from him, for once. His eyes flaring, he airily states, "A poor attempt of trying to get my attention, dear sister.'

"Well, it worked, didn't it?"

"God, you are so childish. Childishly weak." Stating that, he looks away, his face relaxing in preperation to drift off. However, his words annoyingly echo through Mabel's head, like a drill. She clenches her fists, pounding the velvet seat.

"And, praytell, explain to me what that little statement meant?"

He doesn't even bother to look back at her. "This sibling attachment you have for me is going to be a hindrance for both of us."

She flinches. In that moment, many things come to her mind. Blow up the car. Michael Bay style. She didn't exactly care much what will happen to their bumbling chaffeur. Or maybe telepathically swing open the car door, and shove her stupid brother out. Set fire to his hair? She grips the seat, squeezing her eyes, the whole world absolutely claustrophobic. These are many things she _could_ do - yet she knows perfectly in her heart, that she can never bring herself to do this. A bitterness reminds her that as for her twin brother - oh, he will hurt even _his own twin sister_ after getting over a few seconds hesitation.

And like an ugly blemish, Mabel is fully aware that she will never come close to be as strong as Dipper.

* * *

Gideon should've gotten the first warning that his Grunkle Stan, his uncle jokingly refers himself, is absolutely _insane_ when he jumpscared him and his mother.

The two were just idly lugging Gideon's luggage towards the Mystery Shack, however had their attention caught by a huge, colorful gift box sitting on the back of the porch. It is wrapped in the most vibrant yellows and neon pinks that absolutely clashed against each other, making Gideon's eyes hurt just looking at the wrapping paper. Apparently, to his alarm, the bow is made out of...snake skin. Shedded snake skin, thankfully (though still not failing to gross out Gideon). On top of the huge box, is a card with neat, swoopy handwriting written in an assortment of crayons, **FoR mY DeAR NepHEw aND oLDeR sIsTEr - STAN.**

Gideon should've gotten the second warning when he saw his mother nervously taking a couple of steps back, seeing this suspiciously and conspicuos looking gift, sitting in the middle of nowhere. But being the curious and gullible idiot he was, he eagerly tears through the wrapping paper (avoiding the snake skins of course). Throwing off the cover, Gideon peers inside -

"YAHOO!" A joyous voice whoops out, a grinning face shooting out of the box.

The snow haired boy screams bloody murder, leaping a huge distance back. Out of the box, is the grinning Grunkle Stan, sitting atop of a huge spring, dressed up in a jester outfit. Gideon is panting, still freaked out from the jumpscare his Grunkle gave him. His mother worriedly pats his back, and nervously laughs at her brother's silly prank. Stan, seeing Gideon's scared-to-God face, starts cackling. There was no other way to describe what others would call laughter. It is genuine _cackling_ in Gideon's standards.

"Hahahaha! Got you, got you!" Stan laughs giddily, clapping his hands like some sort of excited child. Getting out of the spring, he skips to Gideon and his mother, the same old grin on his face. "I have been waiting," His Uncle says, rolling up his sleeves to reveal around six watches in different colors and sizes, lined up on his left arm. Gideon can only stare at him, the box, his watches, then back at his seemingly maniacal Grunkle all in a few seconds. "For exactly one hour, three minutes, twenty-one seconds, and a billionth of a jiffy!" He proclaims, slapping his arm full of watches.

His mother laughs. "It's good t'see ya too, my crazy lil' brother." She extends a hand, the closest sign of affection that Gideon's mother would give to her own family members, and Grunkle Stan gladly shakes it - only for the next moment for Gideon's mother to yell in surprise and smack his hand away. Stan breaks out into delirious laughter once again, raising his hand with a secretive smile.

"My newest invention - the Scuttler! Instead of electrifying your victims, instead see them writhe with the sensation of a spider scuttling against their skin!" The old man quotes, shoving his hand in Gideon's face. He only manages a nervous smile, seeing a band of some sort wrapped around his Grunkle's hand, with strange creature like legs attached to a metal circle. _What's worse, getting zapped or feeling the crawling of a creepy bug?_ Gideon shudders, staring at his eccentric family member.

"Please, please Sarai! Come inside my humble abode!"

"No!" Fear widens her eyes for the barest of moments. Gideon gives his mother a weird look, not used to seeing his usually stoic mother so fearful. "I-I mean, erm, I reckon a no for today." Third warning sign. Yet Gideon in all of his gullibleness, still does not feel suspicion taking hold of him. Disappointment wrinkles up the the childish old man's face. His mother gives Stan an awkward pat on the back. "I'd rather not, little bro...please, I trust you can take good care of my boy."

"Best I will! I'll feed him thrice a day! I already have one myself!"

Gideon gives his uncle a funny look. _Does he mean he has a kid too?_

"Alrighty then" His mother kneels to Gideon's level, her warm green eyes staring into Gideon's. She cups his soft, pudgy cheeks, giving him a kiss on the forehead, then slapping her dusty green baseball cap on his mess of white hair. "Keep this for me, will ya Snow Boy?"

"Ma…" Feeling foolishly sentimental, Gideon's eyes burn up.

"You're gonna be fine. Besides, who knows, maybe you'll find adventure in this mysterious Levity Floats." His mother laughs, ruffling his hair. "Talk to ya later, my boy." She gives a half wave, and heads off to their shiny blue mini-van. The car revs up, smoke puffing out of the engines. The wheels start turning, carrying the car off with his mom into the long never-ending distance. Gideon stares off, feeling a horrible and unexpected sense of homesickness already. He feels a nudge. Glancing up, he remembers that his Grunkle is still present, and furiously musters up his forming tears.

Grunkle Stan's face is a bit gentler as he looks at Gideon, though a goofy smile still spread on his face. "Your mom's right about one thing Giddy-boy - there is adventure awaiting in the town of Levity Floats!" He makes a huge sweeping motion with his arm, signaling for Gideon to start walking towards the Shack. At first, the boy attempts to carry his three suitcases, duffel bag, and book bag with him, to no avail. Grunkle Stan reassures him that one of his employees from the Shack will get his stuff inside.

Satisfied, Gideon makes his way into the Shack. Though Grunkle Stan is certainly...eccentric, Gideon builds up his excitement for the long summer ahead for his time being at Levity Floats. Happily daydreaming away, Gideon reaches for the doorknob, failing to notice the suspicious buzzing and electricity crackling around the golden object and -

" _ARRGGGGGHH!"_ His hand crackles with flared up burning. Buzzing travels up and down his body. Shock paralyzes his very being. Wildly his heart pounds in a frenzy. Finally, reaction catching up to this shock strucken brain, Gideon lets go, and collapses on the ground, shaking like crazy. The face of his Grunkle Stan hovers over him, a frown on the old man's face.

"Tsk, tsk. Your observancy is not the best of things, my nephew! You failed the first test!" Wordlessly, Gideon tries to scream, but his teeth are glued to each and his mind still gripped with trauma. Grunkle Stan snaps his finger. "Oh, and don't worry about having your insides fried up and all! Afterall, only 9000 voltages of electricity were pumped into that doorknob! So you won't die/have your organs fried/or go into an extreme seizure. In the future my dear boy - watch out for future tests in store for you!"

As Gideon lies there, paralyzed with terror, the facts finally hit him. His Grunkle stan is absolutely, postively, definitely _insane._

 _A whole summer I have to stay here with...him…oh God what have I gotten myself into?!_

Realizing this, Gideon's eyes bulge out of his eyes. "AAARRRGHHHHHHH!"

* * *

Finally, Pacifica was home.

She slams the door open into the Gift Shop. Blushing as she runs past Robbie, she skids to a stop, excitedly flapping her arm at him. "H-Hello Robbie!"

The teen glances up from listening to his music, a warm and polite smile on his face. His dark hair is neatly combed back, as usual. He is dressed smartly and sharply in a plaid green and red long sleeved shirt with a black vest, an outfit Robbie considers his 'work clothes' even though there is no necessary uniform for work at the Shack. (well, technically there is uniform offered by Pacifica's father, but that uniform was a plain question mark with a tight black body suit. Politely, Robbie declined this.) "How goes the day, Pacifica?"

"Great! School's over! Y-you're gonna work h-here at the Shack all summer?" Pacifica squeaks the last part out, her cheeks flushing at this prospect.

Robbie smiles, nodding. "That's right. So I'll be here 24/7 kiddo."

 _Eeee!_ Goes the internal flustered and love sick preteen girl in Pacifica's head. "That's _awesome!_ Where's my dad?"

"I think he's in the back to meet someone."

"Okay, thanks Robbie!" With that, Pacifica speed walks to the door leading to the Shack's part of her home, ignoring the annoying pounding of her heart after talking with Robbie. Once inside, she looks down at what seems to be a long, dark hallway. Carefully, she flicks on the lights. The girl moves to the right quickly after doing this, as if afraid something was going to fall on top of her. However, nothing comes down from the ceiling.

Staring above her, Pacifica hums thoughtfully. She slowly moves a step forward, putting all of her weight into it, as if expecting something to happen to the floor. Again, nothing happens. Satisfied and detecting no suspicious activity, Pacifica starts walking down the hall. "Dad, dad, I'm home -!" The floorboards under her, suddenly gives in. "Aargh!" Pacifica cries out, realizing the direness of the situation.

Reflexes and stealth taking over, Pacifica leaps over the crumbling floor to the safe part. Pulling herself up, she plops on the safe, sturdy floor, breathless. Her eyes follow the broken pieces of floor falling down to the ten feet ditch below, padded with cushions if Pacifica were to fall. She breathes out, thankful. _That sly old fox of a dad. I should've known he had something in store._ She laughs, triumphant.

However, her suspicions are not over yet. Making her way to the living room, she stares at the huge room. Clearly not buying the safe looking scene, Pacifica rummages through her jean-bag, taking out a chocolate bar. Sticking out her tongue, she throws the candy to the center of the living room. Within a few seconds of being on the floor, the chocolate melts on the spot. Clicking her teeth, Pacifica shakes her head.

"Really dad, you created this trap based off our favorite game, 'The Floor is Lava?' That's original." Chuckling, Pacifica jumps onto a nearby armchair. Carefully jumping from furniture to furniture, avoiding the floor at all costs, the blonde makes her way towards the various amount of light switches on the other side of the living room's wall. Seeing the 'turn off the floor heater' switch, Pacifica slaps it, the rising heat in the room evaporating in an instant. _Okay, that's two of em. Only one more to go._ She jumps to the kitchen part of the house, her instincts high.

Her eyes scan the whole kitchen. No holes in the walls. Good, that means there are no tranquilzers prepared by her dad. Her heads snaps over her shoulder, Pacifica bracing herself. She breathes out, realizing that nothing is hurdling at her. Good, there's no punching arm shoving Pacifica into a room full of bananna peels. The ceiling's trap door seems to be sealed shut today, so that means no gallons of paint prepared to fall upon Pacifica. Once anazlying the whole kitchen, Pacifica steps inside.

In the center of the room is the kitchen table, a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies resting upon it. Pacifica's mouth waters, inhaling the chocolate scent. She shakes this off her mind. _Too good to be true._ She takes huge steps back. Rummaging through her bag, Pacifica takes out a BB gun. She aims at the one cookie placed perfectly on top of the perfect cookie pyramid.

 _Ping!_

The fake bullet knocks the cookie off of the pyramid - and once it does, instantly, jet sprays of milk shoot out of both sides of the walls. "I knew it!" She shouts, watching the milk spray at a violent force against each other. _Looks like dad finally got the pressure sensitive floors to work!_ Milk sprays at Pacifica for a bit, but luckily she isn't standing too close.

Yelling out a whoop of relief, Pacifica knows that her three trials from her father are done for today. The jetstreams of milk finally end, leaving a plate of very drenched cookies and kitchen floor full of milk. _Too bad Soos has to clean a lot today._ Pacifica thought, wading her way through the puddles of milk. She picks up a soggy cookie, frowning. However, not wanting to put cookies to waste and realizing her hunger of all of the excitement that took place today, Pacifica stuffs the wet cookie in her mouth, chewing on it happily.

Just as she was about to take another wet cookie, a scream rises from outside. Pacifica jumps. A scream? It didn't sound anything like anyone she knew...and it sound like it came out back. Stealth mode on once again, Pacifica runs across the milk covered floor. Another scream, her ears identifying that it comes from a boy. Leaving tracks of milk footprints on the carpet, Pacifica kicks open the back door – seeing a chubby boy, maybe her age, writhing on the floor. Her father is standing over him, his huge scary grin on his face.

"Dad!"

"Pacifica, my dear girl!" He opens his arms, welcoming. Pacifica heads straight into them, glad to see him as well. "You made it through the tests for today! Job well done! I was afraid that you were going to fall into the ditch again…"

She laughs, playfully poking his arm. However, she remembers the screams she heard and the mysterious white haired boy spasming on the floor in apparent pain. "I got through it, don't worry! But uhm, who's this?"

"Oh yes! Pacifica, meet Gideon. Giddy-boy meet Pacifica."

"Honest to God dad, he looks kinda...traumatized…"

"Well, he was electrocuted at 9000 volts so..."

" _Dad!"_

"What? I fully expect your cousin to have the same reflexes and survival skills like you do!"

"Daaad." Pacifica shakes her head, exasperated. She crouches besides the boy, sympathy on her face. _It's alright Gideon. It hurts like a jerk for the first time…_ "Wait, cousin?" She suddenly asks her dad.

"Yep! And he'll be staying with us all summer!"

"That is if you don't scare him out of his mind first." Pacifica rolls her eyes, smiling. She hovers over the still traumatized Gideon. "Uhm, sorry for that thing that my dad did to you back there...that's kind of his way of saying hello."

Gideon's left eye twitches. Pacifica smiles encouragingly.

"Those were just one of his 'tests.' He likes training the people who live at the Mystery Shack with them. So you better be prepared for the future!"

The snow haired boy groans, slowly sitting up. Pacifica pulls him to his feet. "Tests… _tests?_ " Gideon bleats, wide eyed as he looks helplessly between Stan and Pacifica. "Those aren't tests…they're _death traps!_ " He sputters, adjusting his cap on his round head.

"Tests, traps – what's the difference?" Her father laughs sillily, in spit of himself.

Hearing his nonsensical laughter, Gideon shivers, clearly freaked out. "How...how am I gonna survive here…?" He moans, rubbing his hands. Her dad laughs from the side, clearly amused at Gideon's obvious pain. Pacifica, once again, shakes her head. She smiles reassuringly at her cousin, patting his shoulder.

"Don't worry cuz. I'll help you through it."

Gideon, hearing this, shakingly gives a small smile. Pacifica smiles back. Maybe she won't have to pull through another whole summer alone again.

* * *

 **A/N: So our favorite con man appears in this chapter! Reverse!Stan is growing on me...my version of him in the reverse universe is an overly cheerful and eccentric type of guy. He does things for no rhyme or reason, and just does things just cuz. He's still a conman, but in his own different way. :p Reviews are appreciated please!**


	4. Skill is Not Luck, Luck is Not Skill!

**A/N: Thank you for the lovely reviews peeps! Anyway, I made some edits to Chapter 2. I edited out the part where Pacifica happened to travel the world with her long lost uncle. Because Grunkle Stan is older than he should be to be a father...you folks will find out the rest of Paz's past as the story goes on!**

* * *

 **~Chapter Four~**

Gideon was fascinated by the supernatural and creepy things - but he only liked admiring them from the distance. _Not_ exploring them.

"Y-you want me to g-go i-i-into the woods?" Gideon stutters, struggling to balance the heavy amounts of dusty wooden arrows and trying not to let the posters his Grunkle Stan shoved into his arms flutter to the floor. Sweating at either side of his face, Gideon's eyes peek out of the window to see the view of the awaiting forest. Is it or him, or did he see red flashing eyes in the shadows of the woods…? Gideon shivers at the very thought.

Grunkle Stan pays him no mind, happily flipping through a comic book of Tom and Jerry. "Ohoho! Those cat and mouse tricksters!" He chortles, wiping the sides of his eyes. Finally realizing that Gideon was still standing there, Grunkle Stan gives a small frown. "Why of course Giddy-boy! Afterall, you can't go all summer avoiding the haunted woods of Levity Floats!"

The boy flinches, his teeth chattering. "H-haunted?"

"Why shoot, of course!" Stan grins a bit too widely, adjusting his sun hat.

"They're not haunted," the voice of Pacifica says from behind Grunkle Stan. Both look over to her direction. This time she's carrying a dark green backpack, designed with eyes sticking out of the top of the bookbag, and a tail attached to the bottom, making it look like a bag-lizard. Pacifica is now wearing a military cap, her long blonde hair gathered up into a long, swishy ponytail. She looked like an action girl, ready to go on an adventure for anything. She looks over to her cousin, flashing a smile. "I debunked that mystery! Nothing but animals wandering around the forest!" She declares with the upmost confidence that Gideon found himself almost believing in her.

Grunkle Stan chuckles. "Don't tell me after just coming home you're going to wander off again?"

"Of course dad! Besides, I'm going to help out Gideon. Afterall, any newcomer can get lost in the woods."

"Hmm, well I do fancy the idea of Giddy-boy trying to survive in the woods all by himself…"

" _Grunkle Stan!"_

" _Dad!"_

Pacifica and Gideon shout at the same time. Grunkle Stan slaps his knee, collapsing into a fit of giggles. "Kidding, kidding kids. Run off and do whatever little gremlims like you do!" He waves his hand, jollily walking off to greet some wandering tourists that entered the Gift Shop. Once walking off, Pacifica takes half of the load off of Gideon's arms.

"Okay, let's go!"

Gideon nods, thankful that his cousin was kind enough to offer to go into the forest with him. Walking closer to edge of the woods, Gideon admired the scenery of the woods. Coming from the suburban area so close near the city, Gideon hardly had a chance to explore woods and forests, or being so close to nature. The woods look like something out of a fairytale - patches of sunlight break through the long branches of the tall, towering trees. Red toadstools grew in patches here and there. Gideon swore, he saw some deer dart through the woods, too quick for him to actually take a closer look.

Seeing the pretty sight, his anxious look, relaxes into a smile, once both of them reached the edge of the woods, they both start working. "It's real pretty out here," Gideon comments, staring back and forth between the hammer in his hand, the box of nails at his feet, and the wooden arrow sign in his other hand.

"Really? To me they're just a bunch of old trees." Pacifica shrugs. Noticing Gideon's dumbfold at how to use hammers and nails, she takes her own hammer, and starts nailing an arrow into a tree. She frowns at the long skirt she is wearing, picking at the hem in distaste. "Man, I don't get why skirts aren't designed with pockets. It'd sure be useful to place these nails somewhere...It's so silly and inconvenient, isn't it? A girl needs to look good and be practical!" Gideon, now seeing Pacifica's point, agrees with her. Women's clothes aren't designed with pockets… "Anyway, this is how you do it, look see?" She says, nailing the nail into the tree.

"Uhm, okay." Gideon stands on his tiptoes, his pale face flushing red at how short he is compared to Pacifica. "You're so lucky that you know how to do this type of stuff." He mutters struggling to steady the nail over the arrow, and positions the heavy hammer over it.

"It doesn't take luck cuz-cuz. Nothing takes luck. Because if things run on luck, then what's the fun in that? All it takes is practice, and skill!" Says Pacifica, as she pounds the nail into the tree. Encouraged by his cousin's words, he raises his hand with the heavy hammer, and swings it down. The nail goes into the ply wood, half an inch.

"H-hey! I did it! Kinda!"

"Atta there Gideon." Pacifica laughs at the white haired boy's first time at hammering. "Dang, how _are_ you gonna survive out here?"

"W-what's that supposed to mean?"

"Haha, just kidding. So what brought you to Levity Floats anyway?"

"Uhm, well, Levity Floats has a pretty good reputation for the supernatural. And Ma gave me the option to spend my summer anywhere - and I chose to spend it here. I reckon, I'm mighty curious in the supernatural and such." Pacifica snorts off to the side. Gideon, hearing this, gives her a small frown. "What's funny?"

"Hm? Nah, it's not like I find it funny…" Pacifica finishes hammering her third arrow into a tree, and moves on to the next, a few feet deeper into the woods. Gideon bristles, ashamed that he's still hammering in his first arrow. "It's just...well, take it from a girl who lived in Levity Floats for two years. Trust me when I say there is no supernatural stuff happening about here. Cuz this girl," Pacifica points at herself, a proud smile on her face. "Debunked some of the alleged supernatural legends of this place."

"Really?" Gideon challenges her, jogging next to his cousin after finally hammering in the arrow. "Maybe you're just not looking hard enough."

"Eh, maybe. It'd be cool though. If like, there is some supernatural stuff happening around here in Levity Floats. This place does have a knack for the weird." Pacifica muses aloud. She gives a finally strike of her hammer, succeeding in beating in her fifth arrow. She moves deeper into the woods, from the right of Gideon. Adjusting a 'Probably 10% Off Keychain Sale If You Make it at 5:23 p.m Exactly!' arrow over the huge, rusty red tree, Pacifica proceeds to bang in a nail into the tree - _CLANG!_

Gideon looks over, hearing the hollow, metal sound that apparently the tree made. "Wha? What's that?"

A perplexed frown is on Pacifica's face. "This...this is weird." She lets the arrow fall to the floor, staring at the tree. Gideon is now next to her, staring at the tree. He slowly reaches forward, tapping on the tree with his hammer. _CLANG!_ Goes the tree again.

"Woah...is this made outta metal?" Gideon says aloud, curiosity brewing in his eyes. Once again, he hits the tree - even harder, with his hammer. This force makes the tree groan this time - as if a something from the tree opened up. To Pacifica's and Gideon's surprise, a small door swings open, revealing a small pocket inside the metal tree. Both peer inside seeing a strange, dusty old machine resting inside.

"Cooollllll. Cool, cool, cool, cool." Pacifica mutters under her breath. "Hey, what does this button do?"

"Pacifica, don't touch anything weird - !"

She presses a blue button. _Crank, crank, craaaank._ The sound of old, rusty gears turning against each other, reach both of the preteens' ears. They hear something slowly open behind them - both turn around, bracing themselves whatever was going to jump at them. Instead, the ground seem to have revealed a small trapdoor. Pacifica grins at Gideon for a second. "I think me deciding to go into the woods with you was the best decision I ever made." She declares, before both of them peer into the mysterious opening.

What was inside? Treasure? A dead body? (Gideon really hoped not.) A hobo? He leans and sees - a book. A very dusty old book. His eyebrows furrow together, disappointment sinking down on his shoulders. Pacifica clearly was disappointed as well, from the sucking of her teeth and rolling of her eyes. "Pfft. A book. That destroyed the momentum." She shakes her head, crossing her arms.

Sighing, Gideon reaches for the book, another curiosity building up in him as to what this book had to offer. Wrinkling his nose at the incredibly dusty cover, Gideon blows it off. The dust cleaned off of the cover, an imprinted golden six-fingered hand, with the number 3 labeled into the center, is revealed. His curiosity peaks, Gideon unpeeling the practically glued together pages. Pacifica is hovering over him, looking curious in spite of herself. The edges of the page crumble away into dust from Gideon's touch, however thankfully the old book doesn't fall apart.

The first page is frayed. In curvy, swoopy script in the side reads, ' _Property of_ _' Unfortunately, the name of whoever owned the book is unintelligible to read. A rusty monocle rests inside the first page. Glancing to Pacifica who now looks completely interested in what this book had to offer, Gideon flips a page, seeing long paragraphs of script running down the pages. Adjusting it closer to his face, Gideon reads aloud, "It's hard to believe it's been six years since I began researching the strange and wonderous secrets of Levity Floats, Oregon." Gideon pauses, looking back to Pacifica, whose mouth is shaped into a perfect O.

"Woah. This is so...cryptic and mysterious and stuff!" She exclaims, slamming a fist into an open palm. She points at the Shack. "Back to the base!"

Gideon nods, eyes trained on the page. Pacifica might be wrong. Maybe there is some mysterious things awaiting the both of them in Levity Floats.

* * *

Pacifica listens to Gideon rant on endlessly about the information he read in the mysterious book that he hogged _all to himself_ , she hangs upside down from her side of the room. "It's - it's amazing! Revolutionary!" Says her white haired cousin, as he waves his chubby arms back and forth, as he flips excitedly through the page. "There's all these weird signs and codes and stuff - things I think I can decode from the code classes I begged Ma for -"

"Coughdorkcough."

Gideon talks on, oblivious. "And, and the writer of the journal writes all of these weird stuff he discovered in Levity Floats and all over the world - it's like a dark side to this place, y'know? And then, near the end, he stops writing in mid-sentence - a-as if he disappeared, or something! And the last thing he wrote was - 'Trust No One!'" He pants, breathless from talking in a run on sentence. Pacifica flips over, eyeing the book.

"Nice Gideon nice...but for all we know, maybe it's just the journal of a weirdo. Or maybe a time capsule? I doubt it cuz."

"What? But we discovered it in a trap door and all that stuff!"

"Pfft, seeing is believing my cousin!" Pacifica wags her finger, rolling herself over to Gideon. Grunting, she sits up, tugging the journal from her cousin's hands. Ignoring his silent protests, Pacifica flips through the pages. "I bet you five bucks that this journal is nothing but baloney!" She declares, as she looks through the old, worn yellow-ish pages. Squinting at the handwriting, it looked awfully familiar, as if she's seen someone written it before. But, Pacifica waves this off, happily pouring through the pages.

"Pacifica, do you _have_ to be such a buzzkill."

She rolls her eyes, sticking out her tongue. "You're arguing against someone who lived in Levity Floats for her tween life. Anyway...hmmm. I'm going to prove that one of these creatures are fake! Let's see, let's see...floating eyeballs? Nahh, they only come out in thunderstorms, so it say's here. The Snow Mounds? Eh, you're not gonna be here in the winter...let's see...there you go! Shablam!" Pacifica shoves the book into Gideon's face.

"Aargh!" He yelps, clearly horrified from what he sees.

"Eh?" Pacifica glances down, seeing a page on Leprachauns. She rolls her eyes, sticking her tongue out. _That ruined the moment._ "Whoops, wrong page. SHABLAM!" She once again shoves the book into his face.

He squints his eyes. "You're...you're gonna look for unicorns?" He states blatantly.

"What? I like unicorns. Unicorns are nice…Besides, it says here that I just have to walk deep into the forest near a waterfall at the time when the sun is above at exactly 12: 07, have a rainbow colored food with me, and the unicorn will appear! Wow...wow that is oddly specific and overly complicated." Pacifica comments, frowning at the directions.

"Uhm, okay Pacifica. Whatever you say." Gideon says, giving her a weird look.

"I'm telling ya Gideon! I'm going to debunk this shady mystery!"

* * *

"Ugh...absolutely dreadful!" Complains his twin sister, as they wander through the woods. He rolls his eyes, annoyed at his sister's never-ending supply of complaining. One of these days, he will have no more use for her, once he finds the other two journals. Ignoring Mabel's screeching complaints, he flips through the book, trying to search for anymore clues that the journal can hint at.

' _9N TH5 T15WN 15F D5FY9NG 21PS9D5 D15WN,_

 _TH5R5 9S 1 TR55 TH1T M1K5S 1 S1521ND,_

 _9T C15NT1NS S15M5TH1NG TH1T C1N B5 5V9L 15R G1515D,_

 _ANF15RM1T915N TH1T C1N 51S9LY M9S21ND5RST1515D,_

 _D15 251521 W9SH T15 F9ND TH5 B1515K 15F M25ST5RY?_

 _F15R 9T H1S W5NT THR1521GH 1 BL1515D25 H9ST15R25..._

Of course, to any typical person, this would appear as nothing but unintelligible gibber. This was exactly how it appeared to Dipper for the past five years. That changed until last years, after years upon years of studies of ciphers and codes. Stroking his left palm that has a faint outline of a triangle etched into it, he is deep in thought. This was how the riddle translated:

' _In the town of defying upside down,_

 _There is a tree that makes a sound,_

 _It contains something that can be evil or good,_

 _Information that can be easily misunderstood,_

 _Do you wish to find the book of mystery?_

 _For it has went through a bloody history...'_

It was simple, once Dipper finished his studies. The Author of the journal simply removed the vowels and replaced them with the numbers they represent in the alphabet. But the decoded riddle itself...Dipper sneers at the journal in his hand. It was annoying how the Author had a thing for riddles and jokes. And why must everything rhyme in his clues? It honestly didn't add up. Not to mention, quite vague...the damned tree that contains the journal could be _anywhere_ is this pathetic town.

"Dipper, when are we ever going to find that stupid journal and get out of here?" His twin sister's voice calls him back into reality, annoying and whining as ever.

He snaps close the book, not even glancing to his sister. "Well, dear sister, maybe if you haven't entertained the notion of wearing heels and a pencil skirt for our travels into these woods, you wouldn't be struggling, would you?"

A baffled pause.

"Says you, _dear brother_?" Mabel mimicks in his same condescending tone. "I'm not the one who wears a silly cape all the time and desperately tries to hide his stupid birthmark!"

Dipper almost blushed, almost reaching for his forehead covered by thick waves of brunette hair. However, even though no one is watching, Dipper does not betray his emotions for a second. "It is simply my trademark outfit."

"You tell yourself that…"

"Quiet!"

"What?"

" _Listen._ "

Once Mabel closed her yapping mouth, Dipper leans in, listening to whatever he heard. Now that they stopped talking, the sound is definitely more distinct. It is the humming of a teenage girl, humming the tune of the 'Indiana Jones' theme music. Signaling to his sister to keep quiet, the two quietly watch whoever was coming by. A sneer crawls on his face, when he sees it is none other that the Smoke girl that they have unexpectedly bumped into earlier. The girl's long, blonde hair is gathered up into a ponytail, hidden with a military cap. An atrociously designed bookbag is on her shoulders, looking something of a lizard. She is obliviously _skipping_ (much to Dipper's perplex and disgust) through the woods, with an array of foods in her hand all matching the colors of the rainbows.

Buzzing crackles in Dipper's head. _/Do you want to finish her off now, dear brother?/_

He doesn't look over to Mabel. _/...We hardly know the Smoke's family abilities. It would not be smart to kill off our age old family's enemy just yet...however, it wouldn't hurt to toy with her./_

 _/Oh ho ho, Dipper._ With pleasure. _/_

The buzzing stops once Mabel cuts loose their telepathic conversation. Above Dipper, hangs a boulder the size of his head in mid air, covered with a mystic blue outline of magical energy. He nods at his sister. And that's all it took. The rock flings at Pacifica, full speed. However, at the very last second, Pacifica just glances over her shoulder - and sees potential death hurdling at her. Impressively, she dodges it with the quickest reflexes.

"Whoa!" Dipper hears Pacifica exclaim, in disbelief. She jumps on her feet, glancing back and forth. "Is anyone out there?" She asks, sounding unsure.

The twins do not answer. Silently, Dipper commands Pacifica's shadow to attack her. Let's see how the girl will fare against his shadow powers. However, mentally and magically willing his powers to take hold of her shadow, the shadow does not do anything. Instead, a heavy pressure of pain weighs down on Dipper's head, the more he persists to take control of her shadow. Finally, as if something invisible shoved him, he falls backwards, slamming against a tree.

"Dipper!" Mabel whisper-screams.

"Shush!" He says through gritted teeth.

She glares at him, rushing to his side, as he rubs his pained back. "What was that?" She hisses to him, as Pacifica continues on her merry way, not noticing the fact that the Northwest Twins almost hurt her. He grunts, sitting up. He smirks at his sister, though annoyance flares in the back of his mind, as he watches Pacifica's skipping figure disappear deeper into the woods.

"It looks like it won't be as easy to deal with the Smoke Family." He states, rubbing his intensely glowing blue amulet. Along with it, his eyes glow a terrifying blue. "They're each going to be a real challenge to take out. Especially that girl." His lips curl into distaste. "She has an untapped power that can possibly equal to ours."

"W-what? But that's impossible!"

"Oh, don't fret sister. We will crush her before she can see it coming."

* * *

"C'mon, c'mon...where is that waterfall?!" Pacifica mumbles, disgruntled, as her eyes scour the still forest. She fans her face, the humidness of the tight wood starting to get to her. She looks down at her watch, frowning. _Dang it all! Only three more minutes till 12:07, or else I won't see the unicorn!_ She looks left to right, tiptoeing on her feet to hear any signs of splashing water. She rushes forward, seeing a huge red X on a tree on her left - a sign that Pacifica is sure to mark in order to navigate her way through the woods.

 _Hrrrmmm, 12:05 already!_ She tries to maintain her heavy armful of the food she brought in her arms. Hopefully, unicorns might like white cake topped with purple jam, mustard, ketchup, 1 week year old guacomole, peach preservatives, and mashed blue berries...Pacifica gags herself thinking about this disgusting food. Her ears perk up, hearing the crashing sounds of the waterfall. She crashes through the clearing, breathless, and glances down at her watch - heart deflating to see it is a minute past 12:07. "Drat!" She exclaims, letting the condiments fall from her arms, as she plops to the ground.

 _If I wasn't held up by whatever thing tried to fling that rock at me, I would've made it here at the nick of time…_ Pacifica frowns to herself. Sighing, she admires the scenery of the small waterfall. It crashes from a river ten feet high, from wet and black shiny huge boulders. The trees are not as crowded in this setting, the sun hitting the clearing at full light. Wildflowers grow at the edge of the small pool, decorated with lily pads. The water splashing and the sun hitting the spraying water, Pacifica sees a small rainbow. She smiles at seeing this beauty of nature.

Her eyes follow the rainbow, which goes deeper off to the edge of the clearing, to the shadier parts. Her mind recalls the Leprachaun entry she saw in the Journal. Humouring her curiosity, Pacifica decides to follow the rainbow to its end. She parts the way of the bush - her mouth dropping at the sight she saw. A ditch is dug into the ground, glittering full of gold coins. Surrounding the ditch is a perfect circle of four-leaf clovers. Strangely there are no Leprachauns in sight. But the gold is calling Pacifica, as she walks closer to the treasure of gold.

"What in the wooooorrrllddd…"

* * *

Gideon wonders if he should start talking to the cute girl looking at an array of five dollar postcards. He certainly indulged in the idea of a summer romance - his cheeks blush at this very thought. He probably watched waaay too much Disney TV shows with his little sisters to dream how romance worked out. _Just imagine - an epic summer romance of a lifetime._ Gideon sighs to himself, feeling fluttery. Though he knows it's not very manly, he was in love with love. But he knows, unfortunately, that a lot of girls his age wouldn't deem him as 'attractive.'

He is short, has pasty colored unpleasant skin, a sweating problem, and weird white hair. Not to mention he is...pudgy. Ashamed, Gideon glances down to his protruding stomach. He takes his flab, jiggling it up and down. "Are you all alone Gideon?" His pack of flab says to him in a high pitched voice.

"Well, yeah. I kinda sorta want to talk to that girl over there."

"Don't worry Gideon!" Says the high pitched voice of his talking mound of flab, as it jiggles in his hands. "Talk to her and win her over with your smooth knowledge of quantum physics and information about the paranormal. That wins all of the ladies!"

"Maybe you're right, Mr. Flab," Gideon says to his fat, deciding to name his fat stomach that.

 _Giggle._

Gideon looks up - blushing violently at the face to see the cute girl he wanted to talk to, is standing right in front of him. She is jeering down at him, obviously disgusted and unimpressed at what she just heard. Letting go of his round stomach, Gideon struggles to adjust his hat. "H-hell-o…" He sputters out faintly. But the girl already turns around on her heels, sashaying out of the Shop with her other friends.

" _Wow, you cannot believe what I heard that ugly kid over there said to his stomach…"_

" _So stupid!"_

He swallows, throat and mouth dry. His eyes are absolutely burning with near forming tears. _Breathe in and out, in and out, in and out._ Furiously, he struggles to take out a pack of tissues. Gideon dabs his forming tears, and blows heavily into the tissue. Seeing a garbage to his far left, Gideon throws it. The tissue, however, is thrown too far to the left to fall into the garbage pail. Before it could hit the floor, something _whooshes_ past Gideon.

"Not on my watch!" He hears somebody declare, doing a barrel roll toward the piece of garbage, catching it with a dustpan.

Gideon blinks, wondering what just happened.

In front of him, is a huge man, chubby and having a double chin. His hair is combed back in a suave like style, the man dressed in a snappish like 'Men in Black' suit, despite the dying heat. Grunting, the man rises, dumping the single crumpled tissue into the can. "Another crisis - averted." He says in a faint Spanish accent. Gideon can only stare at this man, mouth hanging open stupidly.

"U-uhm, nice catch."

"Thank you." The Man-In-Black as Gideon dubbed him, tips his sunglasses. In a blink of an eye, the Man-In-Black, does a backflip, jumping gracefully out of an open window. Gideon blinks once again, rubbing his eyes. All traces of sadness from his failed encounter with the girl has disappeared, replaced by absolute confusion.

"That was...weird…"

"Gideon!"

"Huh?"

Pacifica is sprinting towards him, a wild smile on her face. "Cuz. Cuz. Cuz, cuz, cuz CUZ."

"Uhmmmm, what? Did you find a unicorn?" Gideon asks, hopeful for a moment.

"No silly! Even _better!_ Go! To the base!"

* * *

"You...you found _Leprachaun's gold?_ "

"Aw yuusssh!"

The two cousins stare in wonder at Pacifica's treasure poured out in the center of the room. A small mound of glittering gold coins sit on the purple rug, glitterring in the sun that is shining through the window. "It's a long story," Pacifica winks at Gideon, triumphant. "But I ended up finding a treasure full of gold! Can you believe it?! But it's so weird the gold wasn't in a cauldron…and it was so hard carrying the gold over here! It's too bad, once again, that my skirt doesn't have useful pockets to carry anymore gold..."

"Wow, this is awesome Pacifica! The journal is true!" Gideon says excitedly. He looks at his cousin, proud - however now notices her disheleved appearance. Her blonde hair is full of leaves and twigs, her cap missing. There are bruises forming on her cheek and her bare arms. Scrapes and cuts run along her legs, as if she came out of a war zone. He gasps, concerned. "Pacifica - what in the world happened to you? You look like a mess!"

She flushes, red at the cheeks. "Uhm...well...I may or may not have tripped over tree roots on the way back to the Shack. And fell down a hill. And got a attacked by a raccoon. May or may not. Haha."

"What?!"

"I know! Like, what?" She says, looking dubious as she tries to comb her tangled hair. "Usually I'm good with my reflexes and observing my surroundings - but it's like I have a whole lotta bad luck following me around or something!" She laughs, waving off her obvious injuries and discomfort. Gideon clicks his teeth, shaking his head.

"Well, you need to clean yourself up and have those cuts covered!" He says, reaching for his bookbag that is laid beside the Journal. He rummages through the contents, searching for the first aid kit.

"BLARGH! Aaaah!" Pacifica hollers suddenly.

Gideon jumps, his head snapping to her. "What? What's the matter Pacifica?" He stops in his track, seeing his cousin in an awkward state. Her comb is stuck in her tangled mass of blonde hair, along with the leaves and twigs and other various misallenous objects. "How…" He stiffles a giggle. "How'd you you yourself in a jiffy like this?"

She moans. "What the heck is the matter with me today?" She moves to get off the stool that is sitting in front of her dresser - only to succeed in tripping over her untied shoes and falling flat on her face. "Ow."

Gideon frowns. He didn't recall his cousin being _this_ clumsy from the past couple of hours he came to know her. "You better watch out each step you're going to take," He jokes. Turning back to trying to find his first-aid, Gideon's eyes momentarily glances to the journal which is open to the page of the Leprachaun. _Hmm, I wonder if they have any more info on them…_ Deciding that Pacifica can wait a couple of minutes, Gideon's eyes scan the page.

 **The Leprachaun -**

 _ **A curious creature that loves to dress in clad green. It is NOT true that they originate from Ireland, and happened to exist since the dawn of the fairies, despite their scrawny size, poor agility, and poor strength. However, their magic is the strongest. These tiny men are known to be the luckiest creatures in existence on Earth, which is why their kind is not wiped out. Everytime they get chased by a creature or predator, the Leprachaun would simply make a lucky getaway!**_

 _ **The mytho of them hiding their gold at the end of a rainbow is true! However - DO NOT STEAL THEIR GOLD AT ALL COSTS! The reason why they leave their gold out in the middle of nowhere, is because they curse the treasure with a bad luck spell! The stealer is doomed to have their luck drained while the Leprachaun is strengthened! One can only hope to break this bad luck spell by returning the gold - but this is not always guranteed!**_

Gideon gasps, his eyes tearing from the page. He turns back to Pacifica, he is in a dazed state after falling over from breaking the stool she was sitting it. _Her bad luck is getting worse by the minute!_ "Pacifica! You gotta return that gold to the Leprachaun!"

"How come? They have plenty of gold…" She mumbles, still looking dazed from her collision with the ground.

"Look at this!" Gideon shoves the book in her face with the page of leprachauns. "Since you stole their gold, they placed a curse on you! You gotta give back the gold, before your bad luck gets outta control!"

"Oh puh-lease. What did I tell you Gideon, not everything is about luck!" She says with a confident smile.

He groans. "Pacifica, please! The journal already proved itself real - we have to take its advice!"

"Pfffft. Okay Gideon, if something happens to me when I walk out of this door," Pacifica jabs her finger at their bedroom door. "So God help me, I will return the gold. Because there is no such thing," She says, as she stride towards the door clumisly, her hair still in a tangled mess and her cuts untreated. "As bad luck -" Swinging open the door, Pacifica didn't even take one step out of the room - and a bucket of paint falls over her head. Yellow paint for that matter. Pacifica is glued to the spot, yellow paint dripping from her clothes and hair. "What...what the...?"

"Pacifica! I expected better of you! You failed the simplest of tests!" Says the voice of Grunkle Stan. "That was the oldest trick in the book - I was hoping that Giddy-boy would open the door!"

Gideon shudders at the thought that his Grunkle Stan is already planning his 'tests' for him. Slowly, Pacifica turns back to Gideon, dripping wet with yellow paint. "We definitely need to return that gold. Because it's freaking bad luck for sure if I fall for dad's oldest trick in the book." In answer, the white haired boy nods somberly, reaching for a fistful of gold to stuff into his book bag.

* * *

The bad luck was worse than he thought. The two almost got hit by a falling branch, tripped over tree roots almost thirteen times, got chased by a bear, chased by a swarm of angry wasps, and were nearly set on fire. _Okay, that's not even bad luck, that's improbable!_ Gideon flushes, jogging and dodging other nearby branches. As for Pacifica, not so much. Every branch she succeeds to dodge, it seems that another one is in store to hit her smack in the face. She is dressed out of her ruined outfit that was drenched in paint now in a long T-Shirt dress. However, one cannot say the same for her hair which is still sticky with paint, twigs, leaves, and a comb. She was a mess.

Throughout this whole ordeal, Pacifica does not complain - she only seems mildly annoyed.

"Whew, when life gives you lemons -" She falls smack on her face for the fifteenth time. Gideon helps her to her feet. She smile thankfully at him. " - just turn it into lemon scented tracking perfume." She says, sounding tired.

"Are we almost there, Pacifica?"

"Uhmmm -" Gets smack by another tree branch. "I think so…"

"Hang in there Pacifica!" Finally, the two manage to get to the waterfall clearing. And standing there are hundreds of men dressed in green, half the height of Gideon. His eyes bulge out of his head. "What in the world?"

"Look who came back!" Says one Leprachaun with blonde hair, with an incredibly high pitched voice. "It's the thief!"

"Thief, thief, thief!" Chants the hundreds of voices from the many Leprachauns.

"I'm sorry, I really am," Pacifica says apologetically. "But I'm here to return your gold."

"Oh realllyyyy?"

"What if we _don't_ want it back!"

"Huh?" Gideon says, confused. "I thought gold was your most beloved thing!"

"Don't you understand, human?" A leprahaun cries out, hopping on top of a boulder. "The purpose for our gold _is_ to get stolen. It is the only way we can have our luck amplified. My people had been starved of luck for over a century! People of Levity Floats no longer believe in magic, as well as the rest of the world! They no longer bother to search for our gold and steal it! Because of that, Leprachauns are not lucky anymore, and my kind is slowly dying out. Luck is why my people have survived for centuries! From the gold that you greedy humans steal, they gain bad luck and we get good! That's why we have survived!"

"But my cousin is going to have a lifetime of bad luck before it kills her!" Gideon argues, sweating at his pudgy face.

"Well, that's too bad for her!" The leader snaps. "She shouldn't have stolen in the first place!"

"Yeah, as long as the gold doesn't return to its former resting place by sunset, she'll be cursed with bad luck forever!" Another cries out.

"Sunset? Forever?" Pacifica bleats, clearly not appealing to having a permanent curse placed upon her.

"Not if we can help it!" Gideon yells at them, ready for anything.

"You FOOL!" The leaders erupts, red at the face. "We Leprachauns have existed since the dawn of magic! We are not a race to be toyed with, and you pesky humans shouldn't -"

 _THAWCK!_ Goes the sound of Gideon smacking the little green man off to the side.

"Ahhhhh!" The leprachaun screams, falling into the nearby pond.

"S-sorry!" Gideon shouts, red faced.

Pacifica gives him a huge grin. "Okay, that was funny."

With Pacifica, the two clear their way through the hundreds of leprachauns. It was a glorious sight - two cousins pounding their way through tiny green men, like bowling balls, as they fall helplessly to the side. Gideon, tearing through the bush, sees the ditch full of gold coins. "There it is!" He slings off his bag, and starts pouring the coins into the ditch.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" Urges Pacifica, as she looks fearfully at the leprachauns regaining their consciousnesses.

Behind Pacifica and Gideon, the leprachauns are growling, engraged. Slowly, the climb on top of each other, forming massive wave of angry magical green men. "Uhmmm...Gideon?"

"Oh, shoot!" He cries out, seeing the forming leprachauns. He grabs Pacifica's hand, and flees with her. However, she trips over her feet once again. "W-what?! You still have bad luck!" He cries out, tugging Pacifica to her feet. The chorus of hundreds of Leprachuans roars from behind them.

" _YOU'RE FORGETTING ONE GOLD COIN!_!" Cackles hundred of voices, all in perfect unison.

In panic, Gideon looks inside his bag - to see that one shining coin left in the bottom of his bag. "Dang nabbit!"

" _WE WILL NEVER LET YOU RETURN THAT COIN INTO THE DITCH BEFORE SUNSET!"_ They roar, before slamming their way towards Gideon and Pacifica. Shrieking, they jump to the side. A group of leprachauns dislodge themselves from the mass they created, jumping on Gideon. Struggling under their combined strength, Gideon manages to take out the coin, and toss it to Pacifica. It lands at her feet.

"You gotta return it!" He shouts, as more leprachauns pile on top of her.

"Holy shamalos - wait is that even a word?" Pacifica mumbles to herself, before dodging a mass of leprachauns throwing themselves at her. Rummaging through her book bag, she fumbles for her BB gun. "C'mon baby, let's do this!" She whispers, loading the coin up into the fake gun. If fit perfectly! However, before Pacifica could make her next move, the leprachauns managed to throw themselves on top of her. "Oof! Get off me! And did you know - green makes all of your butts look bigger!" She hollers, angered.

They paused for a moment, actually taking a moment to look at their butts. Cackling, Pacifica kicks a group of them off her, and procceeds to crawl over to the ditch, her BB gun in hand. The leprachauns, realizing their mistake, jump on top of her once again. "You'll pay for that!" Screams the leader.

"She called us FAT!"

"Green is my favorite color you know!"

"And the green kinda does make our butts look big…"

"THAT'S BESIDES THE POINT!" The leader screeches at his leprachaun brethern. More and more of them pile on top of Pacifica.

"Pfft, I was right! You guys are all a bunch of fatties! And jerk-faces!" She gasps, struggling under their immense wait.

"Call us fat all you want human!" Says the leader with a taunting expression, wagging his finger in front of her. "But there's only three more minutes till sunset comes - and then you will be cursed with bad luck forever!"

"Not if I can help it!" Pacifica yells, managing to toss the BB gun over to Gideon's side.

He manages to lunge towards it, grasping the toy gun.

"Oh please. Luck is not on any of your side!"

"It's not luck!" Pacifica says as she eyes Gideon. She winks, giving a faithful smile. His eyes are wide, his mouth quiverring with nervousness. "It's all about skill!"

"Ha, we'd like to see that!" Laughs the leader. "Come on boys - don't try to take their little toy from the little boy's hand! Let's see if Lady Luck is on his side!"

The leprachauns stop edging to get the gun away from Gideon. He squints at all of them, clearly at dismay. "Wrong decision." He says. With that, he flings the BB gun over the bush, into the ditch of gold coins. Clearly, the leprachauns were not expecting this. They scream, all erupting into fury.

"I THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO SHOOT!"

"Damn it Bob, you and your GAMBLING HABITS!"

"I am your LEADER respect me!"

"And look how we ENDED UP!"

The leprachauns too busy screaming at each other, the Smoke cousins simply get up to their feet, and walk away from the waterfall clearing. They give each other tired smiles. "Cuz, I think you're gonna survive here at Levity Floats." Pacifica states, a proud small smile on her face. She playfully pushes down the cap on Gideon's face. He smiles up to her, in many ways, reminded of his mother.

"And I reckon I have a mighty feeling that a lot of adventure awaits us."

* * *

It was nighttime when they arrived home, looking absolutely bruised and beaten up.

Grunkle Stan is happily repainting the counter a bright neon blue, until he notices the entrance of the cousins. "Good golly, you two must've had an adventure in those woods! You look like a mess!" He exclaims. The cousins glance over to each other, realizing how bruised, beaten up, and dirty they look. Tiredly not replying to Stan, they make their way to the home part of the Shack. Stan, finally noticing their tired spirits. "Wait a jiffy, will ya kids?"

They stop in their tracks, looking wearily at him.

"Heads up, you probably don't want to go through the back. There are tests up ahead."

The two glance at each other. Simtaneuosly, both shudder at the tests they would've walked into if Stan didn't have the change of heart to warn them. "It's no lie you look beaten up. Hmm - ah, wait, I think I have some gifts for you kids." He says, ducking behind the counter. The cousins await patiently for the eccentric old man. Finally, he reappears, gifts for the cousins in his hands. "Here ya go Giddy-boy - I notice you lost your little book bag there. Here's a handy-dandy one for you! State of the art bookbag that has multi pockets! It also has a parachute!"

"Why would it have a parachute?"

"You never know when you can get thrown off a cliff."

"Uhm...thanks Grunkle Stan." Gideon says awkwardly taking his new bag with a small smile. Pacifica is eyeing the bag enviously. Her father notices immediately, kissing her on top of the forehead.

"As for you Pazzy, I know that your favorite skirt got drenched in paint that probably can't be washed off. So, abracadabra!" He whoops out, producing a new garment in his hands. Pacifica gasps, her eyes full of adoration. It is a neon green skirt full of skirts and pockets of every size you can imagine.

"It - it has POCKETS!" Pacifica bleats, clapping her hands.

"That's right - not to mention, it can turn inside out into a camoflauge sweater!" Stan shows this example by turning the skirt inside out, revealing a jacket on the other side in dark green. Pacifica sqeuals once again, lost for words. Gideon had to admit, that was one cool hell of a skirt.

"Thank you thank you thank you!" She repeats happily, proudly wearing her new jacket/skirt on her shoulders like a cape.

"No prob you rascals. Now shoo, shoo, off to bed you go!"

* * *

' _I reckon, Levity Floats its reputation promised. A world of mysery and supernatural happenings. An exciting adventure, and a place of new family! This journal says I can't trust anyone,'_ Gideon writes in the blank pages of the journal. Momentarily, he glances over to Pacifica who has a bed from across of him. Happily, she is testing out each pocket of her new skirt.

"Would you look at this, Gideon?! An umbrella can fit in here! Freaking awesome!"

Gideon laughs, scribbling down the rest of his entry. _'But after fighting a bunch of crazy leprachauns with someone, I think you'll be able to trust that person. Pacifica Smoke, my cousin and new ally, is someone I can definitely trust.'_

"I'm never taking this off. EVER." Pacifica declares, pulling her skirt over her pajama's.

"You're gonna have to wash that."

"The day will come."

"Oh gosh you're too much Paz - can I call you that?"

"Of course! Gideon - can I call you that?"

He snorts at his cousin's lame joke. "Of course. G'night Paz."

"A night to you, Gideon."

Unknown to the cousins, below them Stan furtively enters a code to the vending machine. It swings open like a door, Stan silently stepping inside with an unnatural somber expression on his usually jolly face. The vending machine door closes silently behind him, going back into place as its normal guise as an innocent vending machine. Of course no one knows what is behind this secret passage. But that is another mystery to be solved later.

* * *

 **A/N: WHEW! That was a long hell of a chapter! How did you guys like that little code I made in Mabel's/Dipper's part in this chapter? I did some quick research on codes and ciphers. (Oh yeah, and reverse!Soos made his cameo in this chapter! Can you guess who he is?) My fingers are so tired...Reviews are like cookies for me, readers! :D**


	5. Day of the Walking Tree Stumps Part 1

**A/N: I'm up and back! Sorry for the long update folks, but you know, school and life gets in the way. Ugh….I can't wait till summer comes.**

* * *

 **~Chapter 5~**

"Hey, wait just for a milli-moment!" Pacifica exclaims, wildly pointing at Gideon to stop from opening the door.

He gives his cousin a weird look, his hand hovering above the doorknob. "Errm, yes, Paz? And what'sa 'milli-moment'?" The boy ponders the last part outloud, tapping his chin. Pacifica rises from her bed, slipping her feet into her favorite pair of sneakers. Why Pacifica slipped into sneakers first thing into the morning was beyond Gideon. Wouldn't she rather wear comfy soft bunny slippers…? Rushing to her cousin, Pacifica squints at the door.

"You gotta be ready for anything, little cuz," She whispers, her eyes staring suspiciously at the door.

Realization smacks Gideon, when he finally understands his cousin's paranoid behavior. "Ooh...I reckon that Stan left another 'test' for us, didn't he?" The young boy sighs, running his hand through his soft white hair. "All I just want is'ta carry out my mornin' with a nice breakfast!" He complains, staring nervously at the door with Pacifica.

She shrugs, looking just about used to this fated routine. "Well, that's just how dad works. Stand back," She warns her cousin. Gladly, he takes huge steps back, bracing himself for whatever lies on the other side of the door. Pacifica readies herself as well, gathering her long blonde hair up into a neon scrunchie, tieing the laces of her worn out sneakers, and taking a moment to stretch. Placing her hand firmly on the door, Pacifica leans her head against the wooden surface, beside the golden rusty doorknob. All the while, Gideon stands in the back of the room, fearfully watching his cousin.

Sticking her tongue out, she jiggles the doorknob testily. Apparently satisfied with whatever she heard, Pacifica rises to her feet, a wide confident smile on her face. "Whew. That's good. news."

"Whaddya mean, Paz?"

"I think for our morning test, Dad rigged the door for something to fling at our faces or something."

"How is _THAT_ good news?!" Gideon gapes at Pacifica in disbelief, stomping his foot.

"At least I'm able to tell whatever's on the other side. This is easy stuff. Hmm, I think Dad tied something to the doorknob on the other side. So, whoever opens it, that thing comes straight at your face…"

Gideon shudders at this thought. "What does Grunkle Stan 'ave against meeee?" He moans, dragging his hands down his pudgy, sweating face.

"He just wants you to have the same amount of training like me!" Pacifica says innocently, trying to justify her father's maniacal ways. Gideon only shakes his head at this.

"So whaddya reckon we do, Paz?"

"Open the door." She says matter-a-factly. Before Gideon could argue against this maddened suggestion, Pacifica swings open the door. Gideon's hands fly to cover his face, him being clearly terrified at the trap that Grunkle Stan set. A black blur hurdles towards the girl - however thanks to reflexes, Pacifica jumps to the side, dodging whatever was heading for her. Gideon peers out of his hands cautiously - his hands dropping to his sides in disbelief.

"He rigged a _fryin' pan_ to bonk whoever walked outta that godforsaken door?!"

"At least no one got hurt!"

"Someone _woulda_ gotten hurt! And that someone woulda been me!"

* * *

Pacifica swings her legs back and forth happily, as she shoves forkfuls of waffles into her mouth. "Nom, nom, nom, nom…" She chews rather loudly, eating her breakfast without a care in the world. Meanwhile, across from her in the breakfast table is Gideon pouring through the pages of the Journal and a Gravity Falls magazine catalog. Carefully, Pacifica pours her maple syrup into each individual rectangle her last waffle had. She dumps a bowlful of strawberries over her waffle as a finishing touch.

"I bet I can eat this whole waffle in twenty-seven seconds."

Not even looking up from the pages, Gideon asks mindlessly, "Why 'twenty-seven'? That's awfully random."

"Just cuz." Pacifica replies simply, readying her fork in hand. "Three...two...one!" With that, Pacifica stuffs her mouth with a mixture of waffles, strawberries, and sticky syrup. Stuffing the last bite into her mouth already full of the waffle, Pacifica shews furiously, her jaw aching from the ridiculous amount of space the waffles took up in her mouth. "Nom nom nom…" _GULP._ "Whew! Scooorrre!" Pacifica cheers for herself, slamming her fork down. A discomforting sensation arises fro her throat, when she suddenly feels the large lump of food slowly travelling down her throat.

"Urgh…! Milk, milk!" She rasps out, clutching her throat.

Gideon pushes over a glass of milk closer to her, still not even bothering to pay attention to his choking cousin. In a blink of an eye, she chugs down all of the milk within seconds. "Whooo!" She breathes out, gasping for air. "That was intense!"

"Hey, hey Paz, check this out!" Gideon suddenly says, scooting her chair closer to her. He shoves the Gravity Falls catalog into her face, his expression full of excitement. Pacifica looks in, the left side of the magazine catching her eye. _**Get a Handy-Dandy Fashionable and Practical Survivalist Bookbag! Fit your knives, matches, and customable parachute in it! Designer Edition available ONLY FOR THIS WEEK!**_

Pacifica gasps, leaning in closer to the page. "A survivalist bookbag that's fashionable _and_ practical! That's _amazing!_ "

"No, not that! Over here!" Gideon directs Pacifica's attention over to the other side of the page. _**Submit a WACKY n' STRANGE photo or video to Levity Floats' local newspaper! Best WACKY n' STRANGE photo or video submitted will have the winner receive 1,000 dollars!**_ On the bottom side of the page is a photo of a sleazy looking reporter, with slicked back greasy hair and a ratty mustache. Pacifica snorts, seeing the familiar nosy and troublesome reporter of Levity Floats.

"Ew, you wanna enter a contest that's run by Jack Determined? That guy's nothing but a cheating sleazeball that would do anything for a story. He's probably going to take all of the credit of the photo or video that any fool would send him."

Gideon frowns at her, clearly discouraged. "But...but one thousand dollars," He argues meekly, raising the magazine to Pacifica.

"Goood morning!" Booms the voice of Stan. In a puff of blue smoke and confetti, he appears in front of the cousins apparently out of thin air. Pacifica coughs from the smoke her father used, her eyes watering. _He always needs to make a dramatic entrance._ She laughs lightly, fanning herself of the smoky air. "Make way for the Master of the house! Proffesor Fun Times! The Most Interesting Man in the World!"

"Uhm...g'morning Grunkle Stan."

"Ooh, wonderful, you didn't have your nose broken by the frying pan!" Stan claps his hands with a broad, cheerful grin. Gideon shrinks in his seat, clearly unsettled by Stan's still ever so cheery act.

"He's lucky that I opened the door," Pacifica adds on, shaking her finger disapprovingly at her father.

He frowns at her, disappointed. "Pacific Ocean, when are you going to learn that your cousin needs to learn how to fend for himself?" Pacifica flushes at her cheeks when her father calls her by her nickname. To the side, Gideon chortles, clearly amused by this dubbed nickname.

"...On second thought Dad, maybe he _does_ need to face these tests on his own."

Hearing this, Gideon's eyes widen with fright. "O-oh Paz, dun't give him any ideas!"

Stan laughs, smacking his knee. "You kids know what day it is?!"

"June 2nd?" Gideon guesses, lightly shrugging.

"National 'I Love My Dentist' Day?" Pacifica suggests.

" _Fool!_ " Stan declares loudly, smacking his cane designed with an 8-Ball on top of Gideon's head.

"OW!"

"It's Family Fun Day, of course!"

Coldness runs through Pacifica's veins. Oh yes - _Family Fun Day._ She shudders at the memories of countless hours sitting on a dingy wooden canoe for three hours straight, listening to nothing but her father's attempts at using puns and eating nothing but tuna fish sandwhiches. She would take training over _that_ anyday!

"Wait jus' a sec - you wanna actually spend time with me?" Gideon says, surprised at this prospect.

"Shoot, of course Giddy-boy! Now you two have options - Blindfold yourselves and get into the van, or drink this special potion I made so you two can be knocked out for exactly ten minutes! There are no wrong choices! Are you two ready for a great day at the lagoon?!"

"Woo-hoo!" The two both cheer, pumping their fists. However, both cousins' minds backtrack to what Stan just proclaimed.

"...Blindfold?"

"And by drinking a potion, d'ya mean gettin' drugged?"

"...Let's get in the car!"

* * *

"Scada-a doo-bap, bap, bap, bap!" Stan scats to a weird beat, while he crazily drives the car through the road. In the back, Pacifica and Gideon are blindfolded, nervously feeling the rockiness of the car ride. _CRASH! Wee-oh-wee-oh-wee-oh!_ "Whoopsies, I might've wrecked Old Lady Prune's Cadillac!" Both of them hear Stan cheerfully announce to them.

"Erm, Stan, are ya sure _you're_ not the one wearin' a blindfold?" _Why did I agree to this again?_

"Of course!" Says a blindfolded Stan. "It's only proper that I wear one as well!"

Cue the screaming from Pacifica and Gideon.

* * *

"Oh - oh my. My head feels mighty hurtful." Gideon groans, stumbling out of the car. He tears off the blinfolds, the sudden sunlight burning his eyes. They adjust a few seconds later, after Gideon blinks rapidly. Pacifica stumbles out with him as well, in a very tipsy and drunk like manner. The car they came out of is practically falling apart, covered in debris and tree branches. The front is already dented, most of the car paint chipped off from their crazy ride to the Levity Floats local lagoon. Stan is besides them, readying the fishing equipment with a giddy, maddened smile.

Once the world stopped spinning, Gideon takes a good look at his surroundings. It is a muggy, humid summer day, the sun beating down mercilessly upon the earth. Being near the water, the heat clings to the wet air, making the whole place seem very wet and hot at the same time. Gideon shudders at this hot and sweaty air, tugging at the collar of his T-Shirt. However, Stan was right about today, surprisingly, being 'Family Fun Day.' Levity Floats townspeople are scattered through the lagoon. Most of them are families, happily canoeing in the lagoon despite the unrelenting heat, barbecuing, playing frisbee, or other normal family activities that don't seem like torture.

Gideon wished he could say the same for his insane Grunkle.

"Ta-daaaaa!"

Gideon's hat is suddenly flung off his head, something else quickly replacing it. "Eh?!" His hands feel for the new hat slapped upon his head. "Ow - is that a needle still in the hat?!"

"I sewed the designs myself!"

 _That explains the quality._ Gideon thought to himself, biting his bottom lip as he surveys this new hat. If it is worthy enough to be be called one. Both cousins glance to each other, seeing the new fishing hats placed upon their heads. It's an ugly shade of barf green, practically fraying at the edges. Sewed upon each of the cousins hats, is a messy version of their names. It looked as if the hats were decades and decades years old.

"Uhm, that's very kind of ya, Grunkle Stan." Gideon says carefully, gingerly taking off the old hat and putting his own back on.

"Thank you Giddy-Boy! Now, are you two ready for a day of fishing?! Nothing but sitting in a canoe in the middle of the lagoon on a hot day, with nobody but your ol' Grunkle Stan! Nothing but fishing and eating tuna sandwhiches -" Pacifica shudders off to the side. "and being surrounded by water for _TEN...HOURS…._ _ **STRAIGHT**_ _._ " The last part of Stan's excited speech came out all slow and garbled and demonic for Gideon, as his Grunkle pronounced this. _Lord Almighty, ten hours?!_ Gideon internally screams.

Grunkle Stan nailed it into the coffin when he giddily adds on, "I have the Joke Book ready for our fun-filled bonding trip - Father Approved!"

Horrified, Pacifica and Gideon yell with fear.

"One moment dad, ahahahaha," Pacifica says quickly to him with nervous, fake laughter. She pulls her cousin closer, to the side. With wide, scared eyes she whispers to him, "There's gotta be a way out of this!"

"DESPAIR, DESPAIR!" A voice shrieks out of nowhere. Their attention is cut short, when they look over to the person screaming that is making a storm of a ruckus. An old man dressed in a raggedy black trenchcoat (a strange outfit to be worn in the summer heat), half of his face covered with a fraying and practically falling apart red bandanna, his chin growing a long silver beard sticking out of his half covered face disheveled and sticking out in practically every direction. He storms through the family filled shores, knocking over grills, lunch tables, and pretty much shoving over anything in his way.

"Beware - beware the stumps!" He wheezes in his deep and raspy voice, wildly waving his arms.

"Stumps?" Pacifica repeats, sharing a weird look with her cousin.

"THAT'S RIGHT!"

"EEK!" Pacifica flinches, when the crazed old man leaps right in front of her. One bright green eyes looks straight at Pacifica, the other one covered in a band-aid for some reason. She can practically smell the perfume of alcohol in the old man's breath, who is inches away from her face. He grips her collar, shaking her back and forth.

"That's right - THE STUMPS! The Walking Tree Stumps! Yonder, on the other side of the shore!" The old man points wildly across the lagoon. Gideon squints, seeing nothing but fog in the distance. "They walk, they destroy, they're COMING AFTER -" The old man's insane claims, are shortly cut off by someone bonking him upside on the head with a cane. He falls to the ground, unconscious. Standing over him is the figure of Grunkle Stan, who is wearing a wide grin on his face. However, his eyes are empty as he threatingly stares down at the old man. Swinging his cane in his hand, Stan says in a bouncy and cheerful voice, "Please, _do_ try not to touch my daughter."

Pacifica breathes out shakingly, smiling gladly at her dad.

"Sorry for the trouble!" A man shouts, jogging over to the Smoke family in a ranger uniform. "That was my -" The man momentarily wrinkles his nose in disgust, briefly glancing at the old man. "Crazy old father. How can I make it up to a worthy visitor of Levity Floats Lagoon?"

"Welllll, I would like some important equipment for our good old fishing trip!"

"Really? Excellent!"

The two men start getting into a very animated conversation about fishing, leaving Gideon and Pacifica open to talk to each other. "Didja hear what that wacky ol' man said?" The white haired boy whispers to Pacifica excitedly.

"I heard him alright. He was all up in my face."

"He said somethin' bout' Walkin' Tree Stumps - maybe the Journal has somethin'?" He rants on in a spur of zeal, as he digs through the new book bag his Grunkle Stan gave him. Once finding it, the boy flips through the heavy red thick book at the speed of light. His face lights up once he found what he is looking for. "Aha! Yes it does! Check it out, Paz!" Both kids lean in to the open pages, curious as to what the journal has to offer.

 **The Walking Tree Stumps**

 _ **Enigmatic creatures that usually reside around foggy areas with a water source nearby. They are nothing but tree stumps, frozen in the position of what seems like they're walking. They are considerably non-hostile creatures, given they only seem to roam in their own territory. One cannot be too sure, for I have not seen a tree stump walking in person. In supernatural history, it is said that the existence of these creatures are not recorded, since no one has ever suceeded in catching these elusive creatures on tape of photo!.Maybe I can change that? I shall investigate farther into this.**_

 _I swear, I sorta recognize this handwriting!_ This observation nags Pacifica in the back of her mind, insistently. "Walking tree stumps?" Pacifica repeats, having a pondering look on her face. She plays with the the pins of the strap of her polka-dot messenger hand bag. Gideon couldn't help but notice that his cousin always seems to carry a bag around.

"That's right! Do ya know what does this mean, Paz?!"

"Uhhmmm...possible uncertain danger? Or a crazy legend?"

"No! If we catch these Tree Stumps walking on tape, we can send the video to the contest!"

"Really? Hmm…"

"One thousand dollars, Paz. Fifty-fifty we'll spilt!"

The Fashionable and Practical Survival Bag pops up in Pacifica's thoughts as she thinks this over. Sighing dreamily, Pacifica thinks excitedly of the things she can do with the bag. Along with her handy pocket skirt and a heavily packed backpack, nothing can stop Pacifica Smoke! She can just imagine at the tips of her fingers of the things she can do with her bag…

"Paz? Paz?" Gideon calls out, snapping his fingers in front of her face.

She blinks back into reality. "Cuz - I'm in!" She exclaims, slamming a fist into an open palm.

"Alright! Monster Hunt!"

"Monster Hunt!"

"Monster Hunt!"

The two cousins cheer in perfect unison, as they march down the docks. Meanwhile, Stan is in a dingy old boat, struggling to tie a successful fishing hook. "Dad, dad! Change of plans! We're not gonna go fishing anymore!" Pacifica announces with upmost confidence and excitement. "Gideon and I are gonna go on an adventure! We're gonna Monster Hunt!" She high fives Gideon at the last part.

Stan frowns at them, giving a loud 'harrumph' and crossing his arms in a childish manner. "Pacific Ocean, you are perfectly aware that I joke about the mystery and adventures here at Levity Floats. That old man was talking nothing but gibberish. So," His serious expression is wiped off his face, when it turns into a huge scary smile in a split second. "Get in the boat with your ol' dad! Because I will not be sailing you off to any silly place you're thinking of anytime soon!"

"Daaaaad…"

 _Vroom, vroom!_ Suddenly, a motor boat is curbed besides the docks. Standing at the wheel, is a strange man dressed in a black business suit. Familiarity creeps into Pacifica's and Stan's faces. "Soos!" Pacifica exclaims with a broad smile. She runs to the boat, waving a hello to the man. Gideon looks confused, back and forth between Pacifica and Soos.

"Y'all know each other?"

"Yeah! Soos is the handy man slash bodyguard slash old time friend of my Dad and an employee at the Mystery Shack!"

"Bodyguard? That 'splains the Men-In-Black suit."

"If you're going to head off anywhere," Says Soos, as he straightens his sunglasses in a stony faced expression. "It is only appropiate that it should be under my supervision."

"Soos! My boy! Surely you're not going to abandon old Stan here all by himself!" Calls out Stan from the side, with an anticipating smile.

Soos hesitates, much to the cousins' nervousness. However, any traces of this hesitation disappears, when Stan brings up the Joke Handbook. "Ten hours of puns and jokes Soos-boy! With your old friend, Grunkle Stan Smoke -"

 _VROOOOOOOM!_

The boat quickly drives away in a blink of an eye, leaving Stan all alone at the docks.

"I have no regrets!"

"Sorry Dad, maybe another time!"

"I heavily apologize Mr. Smoke! But I can't handle ten hours of your truthfully terrible jokes!" Yells Soos, before the three disappear off in the distance with their boat. Frowning, Stan does a raspberry.

"I can have fun on my own! Those fools…" He grumbles to himself, his expression hiding a little bit of hurt. Sighing, he glances over to a little boy standing on the docks next to him. Giving a half smile, Stan waves the joke handbook about in his hand. "How about a joke, little boy?"

"Aaaaaahhhhh!" He screams, running off the moment Stan brought up the joke book.

"...At least I have my bucket of worms to keep me company." Glancing over to the smelly bucket of the writhing, slimy creatures, Stan shudders, covering it with a towel. "...They remind me quite too much of the inevitable fate of death and doom."

* * *

"Let's go, go, go!" Gideon hollers, standing on the roof of the boat. Much to his surprise, Soos quickly takes him down from the boat. "Heyy, I had a good view up there!"

"Don't argue with him," Pacifica shrugs off from the side. "He tends to be very protective."

"Oh...uhm, 'kay. Here's the game plan Paz!" Gideon says to his cousin. "We're gonna go to the island...and try to videotape evidence of the stumps!"

"Do you think they really walk, Soos?" Pacifica asks the man.

He only stares off stoically in the distance with his sunglasses.

"Yep, me too!" Pacifica says, playfully shoving the man even though he didn't answer. Gideon gives Soos a funny look. _He doesn't talk much, does he?_

"We're gonna win that prize money!"

"I'm gonna get my dream bag!"

"Do you kids have on sunscreen?!" Soos asks suddenly from the side, in a sharp voice.

"...I guess we're going to go to DuaneRead and get some sunscreen!"

"Yeah! Wait, there's a DuaneRead around here?"

* * *

"So, you haven't found the book?" Asks their father coldly, not even greeting the twins with so much of a hello. The two have been out all night, using a spell to keep themselves awake in order to search for the Journal. When dawn cracked, the twins had to go home to rest for their search. Mabel dreaded every second they got closer to home. She had no idea how her brother didn't betray a single clue of being afraid - his face stayed cold and stony the whole entire time as they walked home.

"No." Says Dipper, doing the talking.

Their parents, the famous Northwest couple known across all of America, stare coldly at their children. Mabel shifts in her spot, trying all in her willpower not to cling to her brother's arms. Despite the fact that their parents practically act as if she didn't exist for half of the time, Mabel is aware that they closely watch her. She cannot betray a moment of weakness in front of her parents. Not one moment...but the very room they were in with their parents, is suffocating.

"You are aware," Their Father finally says. "That the fool Stan Smoke already owns a Journal, hmmmm?"

"Very aware." Dipper states.

"Did I ask you to comment?!" Snaps their Father. For a quickest moment, Dipper flinches. All the more, this frightens Mabel out of her wits, seeing even her stoic brother intimidated. Quietly, her twin brother bows in a apology. Their father settles, satisfied by Dipper's meek agreement. "Every second you waste, the closer the Smoke family can find the other Journal. Surely, we, as the Northwests, don't want them to find that Journal, do we?"

"Yes."

"Good. So, why aren't you trying hard enough?" He hisses, angered.

"We'll find it." Dipper states, staring up at their towering Father. Their mother stands to the side, not saying anything at all. Which, is a good sign.

"I'll believe it when I see it."

"Put him in the room. No supper for tonight." Their Mother suddenly says. Her feminine voice is cold and unfeeling. Mabel shudders hearing their Mother speak. Dipper flinches, though his face still stoic.

"Don't!" Mabel bursts, not being able to contain herself any longer. Her hands fly to her mouth, once she realizes the grave mistake she just made. _This_ time, her parents took the moment to pay attention to her. But it is for the wrong reason. Their unmoved expressions stare down at Mabel. From the illumination of the fire in the study room, their faces are gaunt and sharp and angled. They look of death. Sucking up her bravery, Mabel says in a small voice, "You don't need…"

 _Ring, ring, ring!_

Mabel hunches over, her ears screaming with pain. The damned, horrible bell! Whimpering, she kneels to the ground, trying the best to cover her ears.

 _Ring, ring, ring, RING, RiNg, RInG R_

 _I_

 _NNNnn_

 _GGG!_

With each sound the bell makes, the sound drills into Mabel's head.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please stop!" Mabel cries out, curling up into a fetal position.

Finally, it stops.

The girl shivers with relief, still curled up on the floor. Peeking out of her bangs, Mabel sees that her brother is hardly looking at her. If the Northwests did something like this to her nine years ago, he would've...Mabel falters at the memory of what used to be.

"To the room, Tyrone." She hears her Father repeat himself, through the buzzing of her ears. Tears form behind Mabel's eyes. This is how it was always like. Just a simple ring of the bell, and Mabel cannot say anything else. She is powerless. She is worthless. She can't do a single thing. Just a single ring out of that cursed bell, and her parents had no need to address her existence.

The bell is torturing enough. That's all they needed to do. And Mabel can't do a single thing about it.

* * *

After a quick trip to DuaneRead that apparently existed around the Levity Floats Lagoon, the three adventurers are set.

"Paz, can ya tell me one of the cliches in horror movies?"

"An idiot opens a closet door when there's a monster clearly behind it?"

"The minority dies first?" Soos guesses from the wheel.

"Good pointers, but no! The cameras aren't prepared! For some reason in the horror movies, the batteries seem to run outta battery, the main characters aren't ready to take a picture, of they lose it! Guess what folks - something like that ain't gonna be pulled over us!" Gideon proclaims proudly, raising a bag of camera batteries. "Each of you have a video cam, am I right? Well, just in case if ya ever run outta batteries, you each have ten of em'!"

"Kudos to that!" Pacifica says, testing her video cam out.

"And for this mission, I declare myself captain!"

"Heeyyyyy, how come you get to be captain?"

"I called dibs!"

"Can I be co-captain?"

"I dunno…"

"Oops, dropped one." Pacifica says in a feigned innocent expression, as she purposely throws a couple of batteries off the boat. Gideon sweats at the side of his face.

"O-kay, okay, you can be co-captain!" He says relucatantly.

"And I shall be the Responsible Grown-Up." Soos states.

"Boooo!" Both cousins moan from the sides at this prospect.

"As the Responsible Grown-Up, I can turn this boat the opposite direction and cancel this whole trip."

"As captain, I do not grant this."

"As Co-Captain, me neither!"

"Then as Responsible Grown-Up, you better put on your sunscreen and eat the sandwhiches I made you."

"Aw, thanks Soos!" Pacifica says eagerly, as she digs into her lunch with Gideon.

* * *

 **A/N: So much...typing….sorry folks, I don't think I can do a whole episode into this chapter. Some chapters maybe like this. Where they're just so ridiculously long, that I may have to split them up into two parts, maybe even three. It's a lotta work making the dialogue and thinking of the reverse personalities! I hope this was enough for you though! Reviews are much appreciated! Each of you shall get a virtual hug! :D**


	6. Day of the Walking Tree Stumps Part 2

**A/N: Hey hey hey people, I'm sorry I haven't updated in awhile! With school (and 8th grade!) FINALLY OVER, I can concentrate on what really matters : fanfiction! With summer coming in like a storm, I finally have the time to do my beloved fanfiction! Let's get back to business!**

* * *

 **~Chapter Six~**

One would wonder why the usually stoic Mystery Twin, Tyrone Dipper Northwest, would be scared of something so simple as a room. But does one know what it feels like to be locked in darkness, with all perception lost and senses deprived?

Sitting alone in the darkness, the traumatizing and dark memories ingrained within his mind ever since childhood under the care of the Northwests, are imprinted on Dipper like scars. He is huddled in the corner of the room, curled in a fetal position. The darkness and coldness and emptiness envelopes his skinny body. Rocking back and forth, as an attempt to cradle himself to sleep, Dipper strokes the foam covered walls. Magic tingles at the tips of his fingers, every feral instinct screaming at Dipper to escape from the cursed Room.

Of course, he knows he can never scrounge up the courage to do so. The watchful eyes of his parents loom over him, like a threat. He would never cross such boundaries.

So, he continues to sit in the darkness. Heavy breathing from Dipper are the only sounds that accompany him. Imagination getting the best of him, Dipper foolishly thought his scary breathing sound like the heavy breathing of dozens of other imaginary people trapped in the Room with him. Yet when he reaches his hand through the inky darkness, of course no one is there. He leans his ear against the wall, closing his eyes, trying to steady his unstable pace of breathing. Begging silently, he searches for sound.

He knows better, that the Room's purpose is to purely isolate him.

Dipper's parents installed special sound proof walls in order for nobody to hear what's happening inside as well for him to not hear what's happening outside as well. This makes the isolation even more overbearing. Squeezing his eyes shut, Dipper bites the bottom of his lip. Even by himself, he can never betray a moment of vulnerability. _Who cares about being alone, anyway?_ He repeats to himself, until he actually convinced himself this is true. Sweat clings to the back of his neck and all over his body, making him want to jump out of his clammy skin.

How he managed being in the Room ever since childhood was beyond Dipper.

Feverishly, Dipper strokes his left wrist, in a vain attempt to search for his watch, in order to be reminded of the time. The slightly moist surface of his bare skin, gives him the cruel reminder that his parents confiscated the watch - or any forms of technology that Dipper had on him, before they placed him within the Room. There is no way to tell time inside the Room - so Dipper has no idea if by now, he has missed bedtime or if he missed his curfew to sleep.

A painful jab of gnawing hunger punches Dipper in the stomach, calling him to reality. Gritting his teeth, he growls softly. He should have gotten use to this by now. Sometimes, he was left in the Room for - what, maybe a week, sometimes? That was only simply because his parents simply forgotten the fact they locked him in the Room, until they remembered he needed to be fed. Chewing on his nail, Dipper hoped this would not be the case.

Besides, they only locked him in the Room for the best. It is his fault, after all, for not finding the Journal sooner. _Also my fault how I couldn't study those spells faster, couldn't kill Mabel's dog, finish those paperwork by five in the morning...my fault, my fault, it's indeed my fault, and I deserve all of this._ Dipper nods at these thoughts in agreement, as floods of his past mistakes he foolishly made as a child. At this point, there is no room for any more mistakes! He should be absolute perfection! So, why does he always mess up…? He still has a long way to go, and his parents knew better.

In his head, he can see the approval of his parents agreeing with him on these facts.

Remembering the third Journal brings forth a surge of anger through his veins. Recalling his purpose brings a torrent of other memories to Dipper's head. That Smoke girl - Pacifica, was it? A worthy threat that has to be squashed sooner than later. Then there's her fool of a father, Stan Smoke...That man was more than he seems, and soon enough the facade he puts up will crack. Only he knows. Then there are the Journals...All three of them, right here in Levity Floats...so close yet so far, almost in Dipper's grasp. Once they are collected, there comes the promise of power...Dipper balls up his hands, grinding his teeth against each other even harder.

He needs - no _has to_ find these Journals. For the sake of the Northwest name.

Digging his nails into his palms with a much unbearable force, brings thick liquid dripping down his hands - his dark, murky, and clotted blood. "I swear," He mumbles, his blue eyes illuminating the dark room he resides in. "I will pick off everyone last of you, Smoke Family...I will finish what my ancestors have began. And I will gladly dispose of you when the chance presents itself…" Dipper promises himself, darkly thinking of that blonde haired girl, Pacifica Smoke. The memory of her fleeting figure skipping through the woods, dances inside his head.

He narrows his eyes at the thought of Pacifica, a cold and mirthless smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Starting with that _girl._ "

* * *

Through the heavy fog that is cloaking the shore, Gideon squints through the overbearing mist, excitement rising in his chest when he sees land close in the distance. "Land, ho!" Pacifica declares, pumping her fists in the air. Gideon nods zealously at her report, and spins to the direction of his other companions. Picking up his video camera and slinging over the heavy survival backpack over his shoulder, he makes excited hand gesture. "Alright y'all! It's go time!"

Pacifica nods eagerly, seeing Gideon's excitement. Taking a moment to re-tie her ponytail, she bumps fists with Gideon. "Aw yeah, let's do this!"

Gideon looks over to the steering wheel where Soos would be, with an expectant smile. "Are ya ready too -" The strong smell of smoke reaches his small nose, suffocating and alarming. Immediately, Gideon knows that he is smelling smoke from a cigarette. Gulping for clean air, Gideon instantly covers his mouth and nose in an attempt to shield himself from the unhealthy smoke. Thankful that he avoided a potential asthma attack, Gideon looks back at Soos in confusion as to where the smoke is coming from. He then realizes that Soos is light up a cigarette, and frowns in disapproval.

"Hey, Soos, stamp that out!" Pacifica speaks up for Gideon, thankfully, wagging her finger at Soos in discouragement. "Gideon doesn't seem to be used to smelling such _unhealthy_ things - and what did I tell you about quitting your habit?"

A sheepish expression shifts in Soos's usual poker face. "Sorry Pacifica." He says, taking the cigarette out of his mouth and stamping it out. Jutting out on his front pocket is the small metal box of the lighter. It shines faintly in the minimal sunlight that manages to pierce through the thick blanket of fog. Gideon is surprised at how much fog is on the other side of the Levity Floats lagoon - but it really is nothing to think about. He smiles at Pacifica thankfully for telling Soos to stop, and she smiles back, doing a little salute.

Cheesily, Gideon salutes back. Quietly both cousins giggle at the inside joke they just made with each other.

Without warning, the boat rushes forward, as if bumping into something. "Oh, hey, we're here!" Gideon exclaims in realization. Turning on the video cam, he nods back to the others. "Let's go! An' ready your cameras! And go after anythin' ya think looks real suspicious!"

"Isn't that the opposite of what we should do?" Soos points out, clearly unsettled by the fogginess of the other side of the lagoon and barren land that he and the Smoke cousins arrived on. The cousins pay him no mind, happily landing on the marshy and soft land. "I get the strange sense of dread and foreboding arriving here…" The bodyguard mumbles outloud, hurriedly walking after the cousins.

"Pfft, Soos, you always think that everywhere we go has a sense of dread and foreboding!" Pacifica points out, poking his arm.

"I have top notch instincts that you must trust." Soos nods, looking quite solemn.

Pacifica rolls her eyes in disbelief at Soos's everlasting suspicion and down casted mood. Seeing a moldy sign ahead pinned to an old beaten down truck, she runs up to it. Written on the sign reads, ' _ **Peewee Slope Ahead.'**_ She bursts out laughing at what she sees. "Hey, guys, check this out!" Pacifica covers the part of 'wee' on the sign. "'Pee Hill Ahead!' Bwhahahaha! I'm a riot!" She cackles, slapping her knee. Soos only shakes his head at Pacifica's immature joke. As for Gideon, he nervously looks over his shoulder, his flashlight clutched tight in his hand.

"Hey, why arentcha laughing little cuz? Are you scaaaared?"

"W-what?!" Gideon exclaims, his chubby cheeks puffing up with air from his agitation. "A-am n-n-not so!"

"Are so-so!"

"No so-so! Wait, that doesn't even make any -"

"Flick!" Pacifica flicks Gideon's small button nose upright, with the hard part of her nail.

"Ow! Paz!"

"Flick! Flick, flick, flick, flick!" She sings, teasingly flicking her snappy fingers all over his soft baby face. Valiantly Gideon tries to fight back against his taller (and probably stronger) cousin, but only succeeds in getting bullied more by her playful hitting.

"Gideon! Pacifica!" Soos interrupts their tustle with an ushered shush. Protectively, he stands in front of the cousins, blocking them from whatever he saw that he deemed dangerous. The cousins cast each other looks, taken aback by Soos's paranoid behavior. "Look! Over there!" Soos shines his flashlight through the blanket of fog, both cousins squinting closely at what Soos caught sight of. The light revealing what Soos had to show, both cousins gasp at the revelation.

"Whoa! Tree stumps…?" Gideon mumbles, eyes wide like saucers.

"Hey, you're right Gid, they _do_ look like they're walking!" Pacifica gasps, pointing excitedly at Mother Nature's wondrous sight. In the dim light offered from the flashlight, near the other side of the shore revealed dozens upon dozens of tree stumps scattered all over the place. The strange feature about the stumps, is that the roots are lifted from the ground, extended out of place like wooden tentacles. It gives the illusion to any human eye that the tree stumps seem to, indeed, be walking. The key trait, however, is that the tree stumps, all of them, were frozen in the position of walking. Barren and decaying, tree stumps littered the place.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Soos comments from the side, an uneasy look on his face, as he unconsciously reaches for the lighter in his right breast pocket, and a cigarette packet in the other. Seeing his move for a smoke, Pacifica smacks his hand from reaching a cigarette in disapproval. He gives a quiet whimper, his eyebrows furrowing under his dark sunglasses.

Turning their attention back to the tree stumps, all three decided to investigate deeper to the phenomenon. Pacifica zig zags left and right, excitedly examining the tree stumps. "It would be so, so cool if these things actually walked." She comments, leaning down to stare closely at the uplifted roots. A grin spreading on her face when her eyes light up with inspiration, Pacifica sits right on top of a stump. "Check out my new ride guys!" She cries out, waving at Gideon and Soos. "Onward my steed! To glorrrrryyyyy!"

"Don't be so loud, Paz!" Gideon shushes her, carefully recording everything he sees with his video camera.

"What are you so worried about, Gid? It's not like these thingies actually _move!_ "

"They so do!" Gideon argues, though falters realizing he doesn't have much evidence backing up this fact.

"Isn't there something strange about these stumps?" Soos calls out, not moving from where all three once stood. He fidgets about in his place, one moment reaching to light a cigarette, the other moment straightening his glasses and slicking back his hair. "It...it almost seems as if the tree stumps are walking towards something…"

"Soos, we can't back out now! Imagine what would happen if we got the stumps walking on tape?!" Gideon exclaims indignantly, wandering on the shore with Pacifica. Sighing dreamily, he murmurs, "Imagine…"

" _Gideon Smoke!" Exclaims Jack Determined, as he twirls around his moustache. "This is unbelievable footage you caught of the stumps! What do you have to say to Levity Floats, and the world?" Surrounding Gideon with his one thousand dollar prize and huge trophy, is a mammoth crowd of adoring fans, as well as dozens of reporters flashing their cameras at him, just to take a mere picture of the great Gideon for their newspapers._

 _Bashfully, he smiles at Jack Determined, tilting his brown cap. "All I can say is that it took a mighty lotta hard work, and determination! Wink, wink, nudge, nudge!" He and Jack laugh hysterically at this joke as if it were the greatest thing ever._

" _And what do you plan to do with your life now, young man?"_

" _I dunno - I reckon I'll jus' follow the road that life has to offer me," Gideon states with a dramatic and solemn air. On cue, a gust of wind blows past Gideon as he stands in a dramatic pose. The clouds open with sunlight pouring out and shining upon Gideon, the Heaven's chorus singing in harmonious joy for Gideon's fame and bravery…_

"Yo, yo, yo Gid!"

"Wah?!" Gideon is snapped out of his daze, with Pacifica snapping her fingers in his face. He frowns, clutching the video cam close to his chest. "Paz, what was that all about?"

"All about your face!" She teases, pushing down his cap.

"Mmph! That doesn't even make a lick of a sense!"

"Anywaaaay, little cuz, what's the game plan? We found the stumps - but they don't exactly seem to be moving..."

"Uhm…" Gideon glances around their surroundings. Noticing for the first time, Gideon realizes that there are absolutely no trees in sight on the island. He looks back to the tree stumps, his suspicions of the tree stumps actually being able to move, heightened. "Erm, Paz, can ya come over here yonder?" Gideon asks his cousin, his instincts screaming at him warnings that something is amiss, growing every second. Hopping off the tree stump that she was using as her steed, Pacifica finally gets over her fooling around and regroups with Soos and Gideon.

"May we leave? I'm getting some bad mojo from this area…" Soos comments uneasily, wiping his brow. The cousins ignore the fear in his voice, staring at the shore of the tree stumps frozen in a walking position.

"Seriously Gid, do you have a plan or what?" Pacifica breaks the silence, shoving her cousin playfully. He jumps, his cheeks puffing out angrily. Raising a hand over her eyes, Pacifica scours the area. "Man, this is such a weird place. Did you guys notice that there are absolut-a-mente no signs of tree life around here? Not to mention this annoying fog...and then these freaky tree stumps bunched up on this side of the island…hey, wouldn't be funny if they actually moved?!" Pacifica grins at Gideon and soos jokingly.

"Don't say that!" Gideon squeaks, clutching the video camera in his small hands.

" _Mi Dios mio_." Soos mumbles a quick prayer, doing a quick sign of the Cross.

"Bwahaha, just kidding dudes. Seriously, you guys are freaking the freak out over nothing."

"Paz, how can ya _not_ believe that the stumps move?" The shorter Smoke cousin hisses, peering back to the tree stumps. "After the incident with the leprachauns…"

Realization shifts Pacifica's expression. "Okay, maybe you have the point...oh please, even if the stumps move, what is the worse a bunch of stumps can do to us?" She cackles, slapping her leg with the upmost confidence. Meanwhile, Soos only gives the Smoke Cousins a funny look, absolutely lost as to what they were talking about.

"Maybe I should look back to the journal...I think there was more info written bout' the stumps," Gideon says, as he leafs through the worn pages of the heavy Journal. Pacifica peers excitedly over his shoulder, with Soos who is still at complete lost. "Ahem," Gideon clears his throats, seeing that there is a new entry for the Walking Tree Stumps, and conscious that he has an audience listening.

" _I have investigated further on the alleged walking tree stumps. It is true they move - quite fast in such an alarming rate! With the help of special equipment and hands, we were able to catch the stumps moving on tape! However, barely at the cost of our lives! The stumps move stealthily, in a blink of an eye! They are very shy creatures, so they will stop moving if you keep eye contact. Look away - well, I fear the worse. Think of Weeping Angels - hahaha references! Ahem, aside from jokes, AVOID THE TREE STUMPS AT ALL COSTS!"_

"H-h-holy...s-s-shamolas…" Pacifica breathes, her eyes wide with Gideon. The cousins cast frightened glances to each other.

" _Cielo arriba y yo abajo_! The tree stumps!"

Pacifica and Gideon look up from the Journal entry - gasping to see that the tree stumps surrounded the three from all sides.

"...They still don't technically _move_ though -"

"PACIFICA!"

"RUN!"

* * *

"You want me to do a magic trick for you kid?" Stan grins at a child, quiverring in a rowboat across from him. The parents protectively hold the child close to them, glaring at Stan. "C'mon, c'mon folks, let me do a magic trick for ya!"

"Harass someone else you creepy old man!"

"Old man, yes, creepy - arguable!"

"Go away before we call the cops!"

"Really? But you didn't even see me perform my trick! How bout you check your back pocket! That's where your - ahem - pictures are…" Tauntingly, Stan waves a magazine _Playboy Edition 56_ in the air, at the father.

The family gasps. The mother covers the child's eyes, glaring with the intent of murder at the father. He sweatdrops nervously. Cackling, Stan rows the boat away.

"By the way, you may find out in your left pocket, your wallet is missing as well!"

"W-whAT in the actual HELL -"

"Finders keeps losers weepers!" Stan sings as he rows off into the distance.

 **0-0-0-0-0-**

"OH MY SHAMOLAS!"

"Is that even a WORD?!"

"I don't even KNOW!"

In a panicked frenzy, the trio tear through land, hearing the scuttling of the stumps stalking behind them. _Scuttle, scuttle, scuttle…_ Teeth chattering like crazy, Gideon runs for dear life, clutching the journal under his right hand. The humid summer air clinging to his skin, sweat pouring down at either sides of his face. _Looks like nature's finally having her revenge!_ Running as fast as he could with his stubby legs, he can practically feel the inhuman touch of the walking tree stumps vying to grab at his ankles. One trip of his feet and it's all over!

"Pacifica! Gideon!" Soos hollers. "Get ready for a ride!"

"Wait, whu - GAH!"

The next moment, Gideon finds himself clamped in Soos's fat iron grip, along with Pacifica. Finally, he can see the tree stumps - like headless spiders, hundreds of them are hot on the trio's trail. Stuck between fainting or screaming at the top of his lungs, Gideon only lets on a squeak. However, another option comes to mind. "The video cam!" Fumbling quickly for the device, Gideon's fingers twitch eagerly to catch real life proof of the alleged tree stumps.

This chance is cut short, however, when Soos manages to open the door to the old pickup truck they all passed by earlier. Gideon and Pacifica are both thrown roughly into the leather worn carseat, with Soos hustling himself soon after. With a slam of the car door so hard that could have shattered the windows, Soos takes out a screwdriver from inside his coat pockets, jamming it in the engine starter. Gideon and Pacifica find themselves clutching each other, as they watch in horror the tree stumps surrounding the van.

"We're like freaking sardines trapped in a tin can!" Pacifica exclaims. "Soos, please, please tell me you got the engine started!"

"I know a few tricks up my sleeve Pacifica! _Lleve a su pedazo de basura!_ " Soos bellows in Spanish, and with a slam to the brakes, miraculously the pickup truck skids to the right sharply. This throws off some invading tree stumps. Pacifica and Gideon find themselves cheering, as Soos drives crazily through the woods.

"Put on your seat belts!"

"But Soos -!"

"JUST PUT THEM ON!"

Begrudgingly, the cousins buckle themselves up for a wild ride.

"There! I can see the boat!" Gideon shouts excitedly, tears of relief prickling at the back of his eyes. Before everyone could let out another cheer, something projects itself into the side of the car. All scream, as the pickup truck skids off course from the sheer amount of force that slammed into the vehicle.

 _Screeech - SLAM!_

Vertigo hits Gideon like a pile of bricks. Hot bright lights shine into his eyes, and he gags from the disgusting smoke the pickup truck is producing from its wrecked engines.

"Gi- e - on! Suus?!"

Gibberish is being screamed into his ears, he didn't know why they sound so panicked. Before knocking out blank cold, the last thought that came to Gideon's mind was, _Maybe over ten hours of being trapped in a boat with Grunkle Stan wasn't such a bad prospect._

* * *

 **A/N: Uhm, yeah another cliffhanger? I tried. Reviews are welcomed!**


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